Secrets
by Carmensandiego79
Summary: Ichabod is awakened one night by the screams of his partner's nightmares as he tries to sort out the real reason behind them and what it means for their relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**_This is my first Sleepy Hollow fanfic!_** ** _So please be gentle as I ease my way into these characters :-)_**

* * *

Crane stood by her bedroom door, his face pressed against the hard wood listening for the sound that had pierced his eardrum only a few seconds ago.

He heard nothing. And for a brief moment, he thought he may have imagined it.

But he knew better.

The walls were thin in the Leftenant's home. This, he had come to realize after the first night of his occupancy when he overheard her on the phone with Ms. Jenny Mills recalling the events of the day and how he was now living in her residence.

Crane tried his hardest not to eavesdrop. And most times, he was successful. But there were those rare occasions where he just happened to pick up on conversations which were not meant for his ears. The latest one, just a few nights ago, when Agent Reynolds had called her asking many questions about where their relationship stood. Her response to him that it was "complicated" still interrupted his thoughts from time to time.

There was a bathroom separating their bedrooms… But noise traveled easily.

Which was why Crane knew he had not imagined the sound coming from her room. And which was also why he refused to go back to his bed without knowing she was okay.

He tapped lightly on the door, hoping his soft knock and whispered voice calling her name would be enough to wake her.

It was not.

And he found himself slowly easing the unlocked door open and looking intently for signs that the Leftenant was not in harm's way.

He instantly saw her form underneath the thick duvet cover on her bed, staring closely at the rise and fall of her body underneath. He released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, his fears calming and settling on the fact that whatever noise had come from her bedside, would do her no ill will.

He turned softly to leave and had almost closed the door behind him when his body jumped forward, startled by the same shrilling cry as earlier. Impropriety was the farthest thing from his mind as he rushed to her bedside, his hands grabbing hers as he watched her tortured face mumbling unintelligibly.

"Leftanent", he whispered multiple times, as his right hand moved to brush the hair that had fallen in her face.

He watched as she continued to squirm, the apparent nightmare still present in her thoughts. And he let his hand linger on her face, brushing his thumb along her cheek and jawline as he calmly tried to ease her terrors.

His presence seemed to calm her down, as her breath became less shallow. He wondered silently of what the Leftanent had been dreaming of. Their trials were those that would terrorize most grown men. Yet, here she was, facing them with the utmost courage and bravery.

Crane had never met anyone like her in his life. She was strong. Much stronger than he.

Nonetheless, here in this moment, he began to realize that even she, his strong and fearless partner in this war, had moments of weakness. Moments which made her cry out in the middle of the night. Moments that allowed her fears to come to the surface, even if only in an inert state.

He saw her lips part and whisper his name, her mind somewhere still between reality and dream world.

"I am here, Leftanent." He said softly as he began to pull his hand away from her face, suddenly becoming aware of how his hands were caressing her face.

"No", she cried out suddenly, her hand reaching out and grabbing his, pulling it her chest.

"Don't leave, Crane", she whispered. "Please don't leave me again."

His brow furrowed at her statement. Could this have been what her nightmare was about, him leaving her? Was this what she feared most of all when her subconscious mind was allowed to wander?

His thoughts were interrupted by the beating of her heartbeat against his palm, fast and strong underneath his fingers.

Up until this moment, Crane hadn't allowed himself to fully look at his partner. His eyes followed her face, now soundly sleeping, and traveled lower to where his hand was pressed against her, the swell of her bosom peeking from her undergarment. Crane blushed and looked away, suddenly aware of the indecency of his presence at her bedside in this manner.

But he could not leave her. Not after she had asked him to stay.

He pulled his legs underneath of him on the floor and laid his head carefully on the bed next to her sleeping body. One hand in hers while the other firmly pressed against her chest.

His mind was a million places as he listened to her breath get deeper and deeper with each passing moment.

It took about an hour for her to fall into a deep slumber in which he slowly pulled himself away, rising from the floor to take one final look as he exited her bedroom.

He wondered if she would remember this in the morning; silently hoping she wouldn't.

…

Abbie's eyes opened slowly, taking in the morning sun through her plantation blinds. She rolled over as she pulled the duvet cover over her face, hiding from the sudden brightness.

This routine was a normal one for her. Escaping within her pillows and sheets for a few more minutes of peace and quiet before her duties as a Witness and Agent were upon her. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath as her mind started to daydream.

Until suddenly, she remembered. Thoughts of Crane by her bedside, gently soothing her as nightmares made themselves present during the night. Her eyes shot open as she sat up in bed.

She remembered him whispering her name as his hands brushed her cheek. Remembered his warm hands in hers as his other was pressed firmly against her beating heart.

"Shit." She said, closing her eyes, trying to undo whatever damage was done in her semi-awake state.

She knew Crane. And she knew he probably would not bring this up if she didn't.

But she also knew that not bringing it up would cause him distress. Crane was a respectable man. A man of honor and propriety. And she knew that if she didn't bring it up, he would think he had done something wrong.

She got up and quickly showered, walking out of her bedroom as the smell of fresh coffee attacked her senses.

He looked up at her as she walked into the kitchen.

"Good Morning, Leftanent", he said softly, nodding as he held out a mug of her favorite coffee.

"Hey Crane", she said as she smiled, taking the coffee and walking to the other side of the cabinets as she leaned back against them.

She raised the mug to her mouth, her nostrils taking in the delicious scent of its fresh pressed beans and just the right amount of French vanilla creamer that Crane knew she liked. She smiled as she sipped the first bit and slowly closed her eyes, allowing the flavor to travel from her mouth down to her body, warming it up in the process.

When her eyes opened, she saw Crane staring at her. His stance was pensive, taking in her unusual reaction to their normal morning routine.

He didn't look away when she caught him staring. Instead, he walked a few steps toward her, opening his mouth slightly as if he wanted to be the first to speak.

"Leftanent", he said, with a voice that seemed almost unsure of its next words.

"Crane, about last night…", she said cutting him off. She placed her mug down on the counter and used both hands to hold herself firm against it.

"I appreciate you coming to check on me." She said as his mouth seemed to frown and his eyes grew slim. "I don't remember everything… But I know you were there, trying to comfort me through whatever it was that I was dreaming of."

She watched as he took another step closer to her. His face seeming to display the look of hurt… even a little anger.

"And what was it that was giving you such nightmares?" He asked firmly.

Abbie sighed and swallowed the lump in her throat. She hadn't yet processed exactly what her nightmare had meant and why it had overtaken her like it had. And she sure as hell didn't want Crane knowing the truth.

"I don't quite remember", she lied.

He watched her avert her eyes from his gaze, knowing full well what that body language meant. Crane may not have from the current time, but he knew when someone was lying and when they were telling the truth.

He thought about pressing her for more. More information on why she had asked him not to leave "again". And what that meant about what her nightmare had really been about. But he didn't. Instead, stepping away and softly nodding his head.

"Well", he said, his face softening. "Whatever it was, I hope it does not continue to haunt you in nights to come."

She smiled softly, internally thanking him for not pressing the issue more.

She was about to speak again as her phone started buzzing. The duties of her Agent life being the first to pull her away from the safety and comfort of her home this morning.

"Duty calls, Leftanent." He said as she grabbed her keys from the wall and turned to say her goodbye.

"Thank you again, Crane." She said as she stood in the doorway. "Maybe I should invest in sound proof walls so I don't continue to burden you with my silly dreams."

"It is I who attempts not to be a burden to you", he said softly. "I am ever grateful for you opening up your home to me. And I am sorry if I overstepped my boundaries by coming to your aid last night."

"Crane, stop." She said, walking over to where he stood.

"You and me. We are good. Better than good. We are in this thing together."

He looked down up her small frame, remembering her words last night to him.

"Yes, we are." He said as she smiled, turning back around to leave.

He watched her walk out of the door and bowed his head low.

Even if they were in this thing together, they still carried secrets.

And Crane knew that whatever hers was that had the Leftanent so upset last night that she cried out repeatedly in her sleep, was one that she wasn't yet willing to let out in the open.


	2. Chapter 2

"Agent Mills", he said a little louder than the first time. Her face still staring blindly at the computer screen in front of her.

"Abbie", he yelled, causing her to finally look up from her trance along with a few other agents who were sitting nearby.

Agent Reynolds walked closer to her desk and put his hand on her shoulder lightly.

"My office. Now." He said as she stared up at him, lightly nodding her head.

He was already sitting down at his desk when she closed the door behind her and sat down across from him.

"What's going on, Mills?" He asked, his tone considerably less abrasive than what he displayed a few minutes earlier.

"Nothing, Agent Reynolds", she said, bright eyed and confident as she stared back at him. "What makes you think otherwise?"

"You've been distant the past few days. And I'm not the only one who has noticed."

She sat up straighter in her chair, cutting him off.

"Wait? Are you implying I haven't been doing my job effectively? Because that is the furthest thing from the…."

"Hold up", he said sternly. "No one is implying anything."

He sighed deeply, staring back into her eyes for the right words to say.

"Abbie… Does this have anything to do with our conversation the other night? Because if it does…"

Abbie laughed out loud, shaking her head. "Unbelievable, Danny."

"Listen… I realize now that the feelings I harbor are one-sided. And it was unprofessional of me to bring it up again... Especially since I already know how you feel." He stopped talking suddenly… looking down into his hands before raising his eyes up to hers again.

"I just needed you to know that I was still willing to try… Still am."

Abbie closed her eyes, desperately wishing she was anywhere but here.

"Danny…."

"I know, I know." He said, smiling softly. "It's complicated, right?"

"But no more complicated than your current roommate situation that you refuse to disclose any particulars about."

"Not fair, Danny", she said, his words getting a rise out of her. "My relationship with Crane has nothing to do with my feelings for you."

He stared at her face now, seeing the sudden flush of her cheeks, and thought about pressing on. But stopped himself.

"Ok, Abbie. I believe you." His face took on a more serious tone. "But I still think it's odd that you never mentioned him to me in all of our time together. Yet now he's living with you and giving me possessive vibes every time I step within two feet of you."

Abbie's eye twitched as she sat listening to Danny go on about Crane, yet again. She didn't pretend to not understand where he was coming from. But they were no longer together… hence her relationship with Crane wasn't one that she felt needed an explanation.

"Is that all, Agent Reynolds, because I have a ton of work to get done?" She asked, moving forward in her chair to initiate getting up and leaving his office.

"Listen, Mills. Just keep your head focused, okay? Whatever it is or isn't that seems to have you distracted needs to go away now. I need you at 110%."

Abbie nodded, rising from her chair.

"My dedication to this job has never been a question."

She was almost out of his office when his voice beckoned her one last time.

"I'm doing this for us, Abbie. I know you. And I know what your goals are. Please don't let someone from your past or anything else get in the way of what you want to achieve."

She sighed heavily and nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes sir." She said as she softly closed the door behind her.

….

Crane watched as she picked at her dinner, slowly prodding her fork in the Chinese fried rice that he had bought earlier that evening. She had barely said a word since getting home other than hello. No talk about her day. No incensed fury over whatever case file had her latest attention.

Instead of asking what was on her mind, he had found himself aimlessly babbling trying to fill the silence.

It hadn't been working.

"Crane", she interrupted as he was just getting to the good part of his latest Benjamin Franklin story.

He looked up at her, stopping his story mid-sentence.

"I know what you're trying to do. And while I appreciate it… I'd honestly just like some silence."

"Oh", he said, her words surprising him thoroughly. Silence wasn't a request made often by his partner.

"Of course. I apologize for rambling on whilst all you desired was to hear your own thoughts." He smiled lightly. "I'll head to my room for the evening."

She sighed as he got up from his seat. "Crane, sit down." She mumbled. "Sorry. It's not you. I just had a long day, that's all."

He smiled softly as he sat back down in his chair across from her, folding his hands in front of him.

"My ears are yours for the evening, Leftanent. If you wish them to be."

She looked over at him and pursed her lips. The last thing Abbie wanted was to open up to him about what was really bothering her. But she also knew that honesty was an important element of their relationship. And it wasn't like she could talk to Jenny about some of the things going on with her. Her sister had a way of cutting through to the core and reading her like a book. Which was something she didn't need at the moment.

"I had a few words with Danny… Agent Reynolds this morning." She said as she sat up in her chair. "Apparently, he and a few other agents on the force feel I've been a bit distracted lately."

Crane's brow furrowed. "Well of course you've been distracted. We've been dealing with forces threatening to kill us at every step we make. He has no idea to what depths your devotion to the preservation of mankind has been and continues to be…"

"Crane", she said, cutting him off his rant.

He looked over at her, seeing her eyes fall to the table as her mouth opened slightly to speak.

"It's not just the war we're fighting. Reynolds is right… I have been distracted."

He pursed his lips, unsure of whether to prod her for more information or let her continue at her own pace.

"Pardon me for intruding once again… But does this have anything to do with your nightmare from last night?"

She slowly raised her eyes to look up at him. Abbie watched his face wince, as if expecting her to react to his intrusion upon her inner turmoil.

"No." She said unsurely. "Maybe..."

She stopped. Unsure of whether she wanted to continue. But his eyes begged her to go on.

"I've never been the best at this sharing my feelings stuff, Crane."

He took a deep breath in, folding his hands in front of him at her last statement.

"I see." He said softly.

"Well, know this, Leftanent", he said sitting up straight in his chair. "I will forever be available to you if your sentiments ever change course."

Abbie smiled at his words, knowing they came from the heart, and not a place of nosiness.

"I know." She said, slowly rising from the table.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed for the night. See you in the morning?"

Crane got up, tipping his head down, bidding her farewell. Abbie had forbidden him to bow anymore in their house so this was his new way of leaving her each time they parted ways.

"I look forward to a new day in this glorious world alongside you, Leftanent." He said as he raised his head, watching her shake hers in annoyance.

"Night Crane." She said, still laughing as she made her way to her bedroom and closed the door.


	3. Chapter 3

She saw him disappear through the front door, willingly. His shadow fading into the darkness as he fell out of her sight.

"No!" She screamed loudly. "Crane!"

Her body started to shake as she opened her eyes and shot up in bed. Her body covered in sweat as tears dripped down her face, landing on her hands which were gripping the sheets in front of her.

 _A dream._ She thought silently. _Just a dream._

She sat there, trying to gather herself together. Her heartrate finally beginning to come down off its rapid pace when her door flew open suddenly.

He stared at her in the darkness, panting as he looked upon her wearied form.

"Leftanent", he said, still as a board. "Are you ok?"

She closed her eyes, her mouth turning down into a frown as she answered him back.

"I'm fine, Crane."

He opened his mouth to speak and then shut it. Knowing now was not the time nor place to press her any further for what was giving her such awful visions as she slept. But he couldn't stop himself for long.

"Leftanent, in my opinion, you are anything but fine."' He said as he took a step towards her. "This is the second night in a row I have been awakened by your screams."

"Crane… I said that I am okay", her voice becoming more increasingly agitated. "Nightmares happen."

His lips pursed tightly together. "Not to you, Ms. Mills. Not in the 6 months that I have been living in your residence."

He watched as she lowered her head and closed her eyes. "Please, Abbie. Let me help." His voice pleading with her as she shook her head.

"I don't need your help, Crane. I need to get back to sleep. So please…." She said, her voice trailing off as she laid back down onto her bed pillows.

"As you wish…" He said, taking a step back and placing his hand on the doorknob to close it. "Peaceful dreams, Leftanent."

Abbie watched him shut the door behind him, her latest dream still playing over and over again in her mind. She closed her eyes, trying to will the thoughts away but a tear escaped from her eye yet again. This time not because of the dream, but of what the dreams meant. Something she had tried to avoid for all this time but knew would rise to the surface eventually.

…..

Crane wasn't sure what mood would await him when he stepped into the kitchen the following morning, grabbing his mug and pouring his own coffee.

"Before you even start, Crane… I am fine. Slept like a baby the rest of the evening."

"That news gives me great pleasure, Leftanent."

Abbie watched as he barely looked up at her, noticing the coldness of his tone unlike his normal cheerfulness that greeted her in the mornings.

"Crane… Look, I know it seems as though I'm pushing you away but that's not the case. I'm just dealing with it on my own… how I've always done things." She added, as he turned around to face her.

"Is that your sentiment, Leftanent?" He asked incredulously. "After all of our years together, you still feel you need to handle things alone?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes. "Crane, I'm not doing this now with you."

"No, Leftanent", he said, his voice raising to levels he had never before used with his partner. "I implore of you, please afford me the luxury of hearing how you still feel, after all that we've been through, that you are in this thing alone."

She watched as he stepped closer to where she stood.

"The word 'partner' is not just a triviality to me, Abbie. It means we are in this fight together. Through demons and witches, scorned horseman and yes, even nightmares that appear in the night… We are Witnesses. Partners. But most of all, we are friends." He stopped and stared at her intently in the eyes. "Or do those words not hold the same caliber to you as they do to myself?"

Those last words stung her. And he realized how deeply as soon as they left from his lips. Her mouth gaped open, eyes wide, filling with water as she stared back at him in silence.

"Are you fucking serious, Crane?" She yelled, stepping back as if to get as far away from his cutting words directed towards her.

"You want to know what my dreams have been about so badly, well guess what, they're about you, Crane." She said as his face scrunched trying to understand what she meant.

"I've had the same dream for 6 nights in a row. And as much as I keep trying to stop them, you keep appearing in my subconscious, hurting me all over again as you did six months ago when you walked out those doors without a goodbye. Without so much as even an explanation of where you were going or for how long."

Crane's eyes closed in disgust. Of course. Of course she was still angry. Still hurt.

"Abbie…" he said softly.

"Don't Abbie me, Crane. Do you even understand what I went through when you were gone? Did you even care how much I worried? How much I tried searching for you thinking you were somewhere hurt and scared and alone?"

"I cried for days. Weeks. And then you just show up all of a sudden nine months later, in a jail of all places, asking for help to bail you out."

Crane tried taking a step towards her, but she threw her hand up, halting him in his tracks.

"You want to know why I keep you at arm's length nowadays, Crane? It's because I don't trust you. I don't trust the person in my life, who I once trusted the most, not to abandon me again."

She watched a tear fall from his eye as her words cut through him and caused wreckage in their path. But she refused to let up.

"You left me, Crane." She said slowly and painfully. "Do you even realize how much you hurt me?"

He slowly nodded his head as his voice barely creaked out the words "Yes."

"Well… Remember that the next time you start complaining about why I don't let you in."

She turned on her heels, picking up her keys to head to the office, leaving Crane frozen as she had emptied her hurt and anger onto him in a way she had never done before.

He stood in the same spot close to an hour later. Unable to move as he processed the level of his prior catastrophic mistake.

She was right. He had severely hurt the one person for whom he would lay down his life to protect. The only person that understood him and cared for him in a way that he was most grateful and undeserving of.

Ichabod Crane had wounded the one person in this world that he cared for the most.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been over 20 minutes and she still hadn't gotten out of her car to go into the office. Abbie's mind was still on Crane, wondering if her words to him had been too much.

She was hurt. Yes. But she hadn't meant to project that hurt onto him. Not like that.

Crane was an old soul. Sensitive to his actions in his past world and this one. And Abbie knew that if anyone could cut him down to his lowest, it was probably her.

She picked up her phone to call him, but stopped herself.

As much as she wanted to make sure he was ok, she still needed him to understand the pain he had caused her by leaving. Admittedly, Abbie did not let people in very often. But she had with Crane, almost from the very beginning. And his leaving caused her to question every single decision she had ever made when it came to him. Especially when it came to her goals and dreams of rising within the Bureau vs. her duty as a Witness.

She finally gathered herself together and walked into the building, staring at Agent Reynolds who looked like he was in the middle of something big.

She began walking over to her desk and he looked up, motioning her over to where he stood.

"Good, you're here early." He said, pulling her away into his office.

"Look… it appears as though we may have a big break on the Myers case. One of our informants called in this morning stating he was staying at an apartment downtown that just recently got converted into condos. The building doesn't even have final permits but apparently Myers is living there."

"You up for taking him down?" He said, a smile creeping on his face. "This could be big for us, Mills. Just the kind of publicity and shine we need to push us out on top and away from this city onto bigger and better things."

Abbie watched as he searched her face for the answer he knew she would give. Taking down Myers would be big for her…. exactly what she needed to get her name recognized by some of the top level Bureau authorities.

She looked up at Reynolds and smiled.

"Let's do this."

…

When they got to the location, she met with Reynolds and the team to go over the plan one last time. Having been the lead on this case for almost 4 months, Abbie knew the suspect like the back of her hand. He was violent, yes. But also a cautious man. He was one of the top arms and weapons dealers this side of the Mississippi and no doubt would have loads of security and protection in place to make sure his capture alluded the authorities.

She felt her heart beating a mile a minute and knew that this case… this suspect wasn't going down without a fight. She was pulled out of her trance by one of the agents asking if she was ready.

She looked down at her Kevlar vest, her form of protection from the bad men and women that walked the Earth and nodded. Yes, she was ready. Ready to face this challenge just like she had any other and come out on top.

Five minutes later, she found herself in the hallway leading up to the doorway of his alleged residence. So far they had faced no security. No men trying to stop their entrance and lead them away from this place. She had an inkling to call the whole thing off. Something didn't feel right…

But she didn't. She knew she would get reamed by Reynolds for not carrying through with the mission. So she carried on.

They pounded on the front door, announcing their entrance to nothing but silence. And three seconds later, her team had knocked it down to find an empty apartment. Music was still playing giving clues that they had been forewarned about the FBI coming. But Myers was nowhere to be seen.

She had them do a sweep of the place, still not finding a soul. Abbie found herself in Myers master bedroom, looking around at the man's possessions. He was eclectic… his taste ranging from leopard throw rugs to modern day art displayed on the nightstand. And she silently wondered how he could live with himself, surrounded by all of these beautiful items, yet his heart filled with evil.

It took the team about 20 minutes to clear everything and come to the realization that they wouldn't be capturing Myers that day. Somehow, the criminal had known they were coming. Leaving little clues that he had been tipped off like the tv still on… a bagel still in the toaster oven… the sink faucet still running cold in the bathroom.

Abbie was the last one to leave the apartment and was almost out of the room when she heard it. A sound, coming from the closet her team should've searched.

She got her on her radio to quickly call another agent, not knowing if she was hearing things or if her team had missed something big.

It wasn't until she stepped closer to the closet that she saw it. A shadow underneath the doorway right before it flew open and a man appeared.

Myers.

Abbie attempted to raise her gun but was cut off by a piercing shot through the silence.

She felt it before she realized what had happened. She had been shot.

And as she looked down, she realized his aim had been perfect. She was hit right above the Kevlar vest, dangerously close to her beating heart and on target for major arteries.

He stood over as she lay fallen on the floor of his bedroom, blood now leaving her body in an alarming pace.

"Agent Mills", he said softly as he brushed his finger over her cheek. "Just know this isn't personal… but I needed you to disappear off my trail for good."

She watched him disappear through the closet door, a hidden passage way through the floorboard, and her mind thought of only one thing before the blackness ensued.

Crane…


	5. Chapter 5

It had only been about 5 minutes since he arrived at the hospital. He had still been brooding at home, lamenting on her crushing words to him and how he could repair the relationship with the Leftanent that was severely broken, when he got the call from Ms. Jenny.

Abbie.

Hurt.

It's bad.

He had been at the house without a car but didn't let that stop him from getting to the hospital in under 10 minutes. Running halfway there and meeting up on the side of the road with Jenny for the last half.

Agent Reynolds was surprised to see him arrive with Jenny, which bothered Crane to no end. But he wasn't worried about that currently.

No. His current worry was strictly for his partner.

He knew Abbie was strong. Knew she had come of out bad injuries before looking no more worse for wear. But this time seemed different.

The entire field office was waiting in the lobby for news on the agent, which was never a good sign. Hushed voices and grim faces staring at every doctor who walked by in hopes that they had news on her status.

And unfortunately, no one knew anything yet except that she had been shot in the torso with the bullet nicking a major artery.

Crane found himself wandering towards the double doors where the operating rooms were but was jolted out of his daze by hands on his shoulder.

"Sir… Sir… I'm sorry but only hospital employees are allowed beyond those doors."

Craned sighed, looking over at the nurse, her eyes gleaming with empathy.

"I know. It's just that …. You see, my name is Ichabod Crane and the Leftanent and I… Agent Mills… we didn't leave our relationship on the best of terms this morning and I hadn't yet had the opportunity to make amends. If I could just see her… just quietly let her know how deeply repentant I am for all the pain I have caused her…"

"Mr. Crane…", the nurse interrupted. "As soon as Agent Mills is out of surgery, we will give you an update. But for now, you can help her best by waiting out here and letting the doctors do everything they can to make sure you get to say those words to her."

Crane closed his eyes and nodded. Noticing Jenny approaching him from the other side of the room.

"Hey", she said grabbing his arm and pulling him away as she gave the nurse an apologetic look.

"What's going on, Crane?" She asked as she led him to a quiet corner away from the eyes of the agents in the room.

"I need to see her, Ms. Jenny." He said desperately, as Jenny watched him close his eyes and run his long fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Ok… Well you can't do that now. She's in surgery."

"No." He said emphatically as his eyes snapped open to stare harshly into hers. "You don't understand, Ms. Jenny. I need to see her immediately… I can not allow another second go by without her knowing and hearing how unequivocally sorry I am for leaving her side."

Jenny watched as his eyes teared up and looked away, finally understanding. Abbie must've finally broken down and told him how she felt. And if Jenny knew her sister, she was sure that she hadn't held back no matter how much she knew the words would affect Crane.

"Look, Crane…", she said softly as she stepped closer to him. "My sister… she's strong, yes. But she's also incredibly fragile at times as well. And unfortunately, those fragile moments seem to happen most often when it comes to you, except she's good at hiding it. Until she isn't…"

Crane looked up at Ms. Jenny, not quite understanding her meaning.

"Ms. Jenny, I don't comprehend…"

"Abbie cares about you Crane. More than she lets on. And definitely more than you seem to realize." Crane's eyes squinted as she kept talking.

"When you left…" she said, her voice trailing off. "Well, just know that she was so happy to have you back that she tried to ignore the reasons you walked out in the first place."

Crane sighed. Ms. Jenny's words reaching down and grabbing the remaining parts of his heart that the Leftanent hadn't already ripped out earlier.

"Ms. Jenny…." His voice said, choking on tears. "She can not die. I can not lose her."

Jenny sighed heavily as she saw the chief doctor walking over towards her with Agent Reynolds following right behind. "We won't, Crane. I know my sister… she is not leaving us today."

"Ms Mills, can I have a word please?" He shot a brief look over at Crane before turning his attention back to his patient's next of kin.

"It's ok, please you can speak freely. How is she doctor?"

"Well… your sister is a fighter. That's for sure. She crashed once on the operating table but we were able to bring her back. She's lost a lot of blood but we stopped the intenal bleeding and seem to have her stable for now."

Jenny released the breath she had been holding and wrapped her arms around the doctor, thanking him immensely for saving her sister's life.

Crane stood frozen. Processing the update on Abbie slowly and pain stakingly. He watched Reynolds close his eyes and nod his head, turning around to inform the other agents on the good news.

"When can we see her?" Crane asked, once he was able to open his mouth and get a full sentence out.

"Only immediate family is allowed back for now. Ms. Mills, I can take you to her if you'd like."

Jenny looked over at Crane, whose face pleaded with her to try to change the doctor's mind and allow him to go with her.

"Crane… what did I say earlier? She's going to be okay. Just hold tight… I'll be back in a few."

Crane watched her leave him, standing in the lonely corridor with only his thoughts to occupy his time. He wondered quietly what he would say to her now that he would have the chance.

And he kept replaying the same message over and over again in his mind.

He could not allow another moment to go by, another day to pass, without her knowing one thing:

How deep his love for the Leftanent ran.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Thank you so much for your kind words on this fic! I am having so much fun writing it and can't wait to add more!**_

* * *

He looked around and saw nothing but empty chairs. The day had come and gone with most of the agents leaving during the afternoon hours when doctors brought word back that she had passed the critical stage of post-surgery and would most likely make it out of the ordeal with her life.

Crane remembered the deep, pitting feeling in his stomach after those words had been uttered. Up until that point, anxiety still had a death's grip over him. His mind still longing to speak to her before some unfortunate setback occurred and she was pulled from his world too soon.

Before long, all that was left was just himself, Ms. Jenny, Joe & Agent Reynolds waiting for further news. Each one with different thoughts, different feelings on why they needed Abbie to awaken and never leave their worlds so traumatized again.

Crane had watched Jenny and Joe sitting a few seats down from him, holding on to each other for dear life. He watched as they shared a brief, yet intimate kiss and silently wondered to himself when Joe had taken his advice and told Ms. Jenny his true feelings. He was caught staring and watched as Ms. Jenny's eyes grew warm and she walked over to sit beside him.

"How are you holding up?" She asked, placing a hand over his.

"Much like yourself, I imagine. Grateful that the Leftanent has proven once again how much of a fighter she is."

Jenny laughed and squeezed his hand. "Oh yes. If I know anything about my sister, I know she would not leave us fighting these battles if there was still work to be done."

Crane smiled and put his head down nodding slowly.

He heard the doors fly open and quickly rose as the doctor came bearing news once again.

"It appears your sister has made great progress within the last hour. We've taken out most of her breathing tubes to make her comfortable and I'll allow her to have a few visitors as long as she doesn't seem disturbed."

Jenny glanced over at Crane, who had yet to see her sister that day.

"Crane… why don't you go back now. We can give you a few minutes if you'd like before we go."

"No", he said ardently. "Please, Ms. Jenny. Go see your sister. I will bide my time out here until you all have had a chance to see her. My time with her can wait."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Ichabod." She turned to look at Joe, who nodded that he would accompany her.

"If it's okay, Jenny, I'd like to come back as well." Reynolds said, taking everyone by surprise.

"Of course." She said as she looked towards the doctor. "Would that be okay?"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, as long as you make sure to keep the noise level down and the thoughts positive. Your sister is still in a very critical stage. She has not awakened yet."

They all nodded and headed back following behind the doctor.

Craned watched them disappear behind the doors and felt his hands twitching beside him. He scolded himself for not taking Ms. Jenny up on her offer to go see the Leftanent first. But he wasn't ready. Wasn't ready to see her hurt, lying helpless once again while he walked the Earth unscathed. And most of all, he wasn't ready to admit to the real reasons why he had left in the first place all those months ago.

Yes. In this very moment, Crane was an undeniable coward. And his self-inflicted punishment was to banish himself alone to the waiting room until he could muster up the courage to look his Leftanent in the eyes and speak his truth.

Almost two hours had passed when he saw Ms. Jenny approaching from the corridor halls.

"Crane, the doctors said that I could stay overnight with her since she still hasn't woken up. I'm gonna head home to grab a few things but she's alone now if you want to go see her."

Crane sighed heavily and smiled. "Thank you Ms. Jenny. I would like that very much."

His steps came slowly and carefully as he walked back into the recovery room corridor, stopping briefly to ask the nurses which room the Leftanent was occupying.

When he got to the door, he heard the voice before he saw him. Agent Reynolds was still in the room, sitting by her bedside and stroking her face as though he could will her eyes to open.

Crane knew he should've backed out of the room, but couldn't. His body wouldn't deny him this opportunity to hear exactly how the agent, who seemed to hold so much disdain for him, really thought of his fellow Witness.

"Abbie… I think back so often of the time we spent together." Crane heard Agent Reynold's voice cracking as he whispered to her.

"Is that where you are right now? Is that why you won't wake up to join us back here?" He laughed softly and Crane saw him place her hand in his. "Because if so, I don't blame you. Our time together was amazing, Abbs."

Crane closed his eyes as he watched Reynolds place a kiss on the backside of her palm. "Do you understand how much I care for you? How much love I have for you, Abbie?"

Crane began to take a step back, suddenly aware of just how much of an intrusion this was. Not just of Agent Reynolds, but also of the Leftanent. He had been blissfully unaware of the depth of feelings between the two agents and now felt suddenly ill. How could she not have suitors beating down her door for her affection? For her commitment? Is that why Agent Reynolds had carried such disdain for him… because of his close relationship with the Leftanent and the ability to see through to what Crane really felt for her?

In backing up, Crane unknowingly ran into the nurse who had been about to enter the room, knocking her tray over and spilling it contents loudly on the floor.

"Oh my, please excuse my clumsiness", he said as he bent down to help her gather her things. He felt a presence behind him and looked up to see Agent Reynolds at his side, attempting to help as well.

"No worries love, I can come back a little while later with these. Just need to check her vitals quickly and you two gentlemen can have as much time with her as you need."

Agent Reynolds cleared his throat and looked over at Crane. "I was just leaving, anyway." he said, nodding over at Crane as he walked out of the room and down the hall.

Crane watched him go and stayed at the doorway while the nurse began to do her check of the Leftanent. He watched as she checked the monitors to make sure her vitals were correct. Lowering the neckline of her hospital gown to also check the gunshot wound for any signs of infection.

Crane looked away in horror at how close it had come to her heart. Just a few inches lower and he would be visiting his partner at the morgue, and not the hospital.

She smiled at him when she was done and closed the door slightly behind her, leaving Crane all alone with the Leftanent for the first time since their argument that morning.

He sat down in the seat farthest away from her, his eyes avoiding her face and instead, staring at the rise and fall of her chest as she lay there motionless.

Crane didn't utter a word. Instead, overcome by the monitor of her beating heart. Steady and strong, filling the room with her courage and undoubted bravery.

He closed his eyes, tears overcoming him and not able to be stopped. He had failed her. Miserably. And here as she lay helpless and hurting, he was never more aware of it in all of their time together.

She had almost left him that day, a bullet from a criminal nearly taking away the one thing in his life that he treasured most. And as much as he hated the thug for what he had done to her, he couldn't help but feel as though what he, himself, had done to her was far worse.

This criminal had not pledged his life to her and then walked out without so much as a goodbye. This criminal had not had his life saved time and time again by the Leftanent and cowardly left her side without telling her how much it was appreciated and cherished.

Crane felt his hands begin to shake at the true enormity of his actions. He opened his eyes to look upon his partner. His friend. And allowed himself to truly see her for what she was to him.

Crane needed her like air itself. Like the breath going through his lungs, allowing his body to function. And she couldn't know that. Not by his actions. All the Leftanent had known was that he was willing to part from her life with the ease and swiftness of a summer's breeze.

He got up and stood over her bed, his eyes looking at her peaceful, yet dormant face. He took his hand into hers softly, his thumb brushing over hers as a tear from his eyes fell onto her forearm.

"I do not know if you can hear me", he said, his voice portraying a strength that his body did not know.

"However, I wish for you to know how truly sorry I am for the hurt I have caused…" his voice stopped, being swallowed by tears. "And I will forever from this day work tirelessly to correct the wrongs I have committed against you."

He stopped, watching as her heart monitor sped up suddenly.

"There is a not a thing in this world, or my last, that I treasure more than you, Abigail Mills…"

"And even if the sentiment is not returned, I will spend the rest of my days proving to you just how deeply my love for you reaches."

He watched as her monitors continued to rise and his eyes rose to the door when the nurse came in suddenly, asking for Crane to leave and give the Leftanent her peace.

He slowly let go of her hand and walked to the door, his eyes still red from spilled tears. And he was almost out of the room when he heard it. A faint cry from behind him.

Turning his body, he looked upon the hospital bed to see the Leftanent, staring back at him, her eyes confused and fear-stricken.

She opened her mouth again to speak, her voice meek and unsure, as she took in her surroundings.

"Crane."


	7. Chapter 7

Crane tightened his grip onto her and helped as she climbed the front steps onto the porch and through the doorway of her home.

It had been almost 14 days since Abbie had set foot inside. 14 days since her life was almost snuffed out from underneath her by a criminal who seemed to have a vendetta against her.

"I got it, Crane." She said, a smile forming on her face. "I may have been shot, but I still have use of my legs."

He quickly let go of her as she moved slowly towards the kitchen, holding herself up onto the counters.

"I apologize, Leftanent." He said abashedly. "I was just trying to provide assistance where I thought you could use it."

She watched as Jenny followed in through the doorway. "Oh hush up, Crane. You didn't do anything wrong. Abbie just doesn't like to feel she needs anyone's help." Jenny quipped. "Do you Abbie?"

"Ugh." Abbie said, leaving the kitchen to go sit on the couch in the living room. "That is not it. I just… For the past two weeks I have been poked and prodded and had doctors constantly telling me what I can't do."

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. "But now I'm home. And no one is allowed to boss me around in my own house."

Crane cleared his throat, causing both Jenny and Abbie to look over at him. "Well, Leftenant, while that may be the case, I am certainty here to make sure you follow doctor's orders so you can have a quick and easy time getting back to 100%."

Jenny laughed and nodded. "Yup. Crane is right. You may be home but we still are looking over you. Speaking of which… do you want me to move in to help you these next few weeks. I mean I know you're better but you're still going to need help with some things."

"No." Abbie said emphatically. "Look guys, I appreciate it. I do. But I am fine. And hey, when I'm not, I'll ask for help. Ok?"

Jenny and Crane looked at each other, unspoken banter going back and forth between them pertaining to Abbie's stubbornness but neither of them disagreed.

"Ok. Good. So now, what I'm going to do is get some sleep, in my own bed, but not before I take a shower to wash the nastiness of the last two weeks off of me from that hospital."

They watched as she got up, though painstakingly without help, from the couch and headed to her room.

Jenny looked over at Crane and approached him.

"So… have you and Abbie spoken at all about your fight that morning?" She asked, knowing the answer already.

"We have not, Ms. Jenny." Crane said, looking down towards the ground. "With all the commotion and craziness of the past two weeks, I have not been afforded the opportunity to discuss this delicate matter with the Leftanent."

She nodded and pursed her lips before speaking again.

"Ok, well don't wait too long Crane." She said as she grabbed her keys and stood at the door. "Tomorrow is not promised."

….

Crane looked out upon the darkness of the night and sipped his whiskey slowly. Jenny's earlier words circulating through his mind like a tornado.

This had been the first night in two weeks having the Leftanent back in their residence. Peaceful rest should have come easy to him. But it did not. And now he found himself up at 2am with no hint of ever going to bed that night.

It had been two weeks since their fight and two weeks since he had spoken, albeit in her unconscious state, just how sorry he was to the Leftanent. But since she had awakened, he had found it hard to broach the subject with her. He wanted so desperately to get down on his knees and beg for her forgiveness. Beg for her to trust him again even though his actions proved untrustworthy. He wondered quite often if she still held onto the same feelings she had voiced that morning. The feelings of abandonment from him that played into her fears growing up with her mother and father.

Crane never wanted to be that person in her life. The one that reminded her that the world was a cruel, cruel place. He wanted to be the beacon of light. Of hope. And even if he swore to be that all the days to come, he could not undo what he had previously done.

He took another sip of his liquor and heard a noise, immediately looking over to the door as it opened slowly and she stepped out onto the porch.

"Leftanent", he said surprisingly. "What are you doing up at such an hour, are you ok?"

"Calm down, Crane", she said as she stepped closer to where he stood. "I couldn't sleep so I came out and saw you out here."

She sat down on the swing next to him and reached her hand out towards his drink.

"Leftanent, you really shouldn't drink with the medicine you've been taking."

"I stopped taking medicine almost 4 days ago Crane. I'd rather go through the pain then get hooked on something for weeks to come." She said as he lifted his drink towards her and watched her take a nice sized gulp.

"Damn, Crane. You opened up the good stuff. What's on your mind that's got you up at 2am?"

He looked up at her and smiled. "Honestly, Leftanent, I thought tonight's sleep would come easy to me. You are here, finally home after two weeks. Getting better by the minute… Yet, I have a million and more thoughts racing through my mind that won't allow rest to be a companion tonight."

She looked over at him, soft eyes lit by the moon's illuminance, and bit her lip.

"Crane…. We haven't spoken about what I said to you that morning." She said softly, looking over at him for a reaction.

"Leftanent, I know. And it should not have gone this long without a conversation. I just…. The regret I feel for what I did to you. The pain I caused you. It is an embarrassment and huge disappointment to my soul."

"Crane, stop." She said, causing him to look at her quizzically.

"I heard your voice… in the hospital", she said softly, unsure and hesitant. "I heard everything you said."

Crane took in a deep breath. She had heard him. His words that she was the most important thing in his world. His words of how deeply he felt for her. He looked down sheepishly, not wanting to see the expression in her eyes for fear of what it may resemble.

He heard her sigh before she spoke.

"Did you mean it?" She asked quietly, forcing him to look back upon her. There were tears in her eyes now.

"Yes." He said back to her, his voice unwavering. "With everything that I am."

"I was a coward, Abbie. When I left, I was not able to process the emotions I felt for killing Katrina. And most of all the emotions that I felt for you. I did not know how to deal with it all. So I left. And until my last breath, it will be the action that I hold with the most disgust and regret in my life."

"Abbie, will there ever be a time where you feel you could forgive me?"

A tear spilled down her face as she looked into his eyes, seeing them also filled with tears.

"I already have, Crane." She said softly, allowing a moan to escape from his lips at her words. Words he never thought he would hear.

"I am unsure of what I ever did to deserve you in my life, Abigail Mills." He said, looking down into his hands. "And I want you to know how much I care for you. How much of a requirement you are to my life."

"Crane… please don't…" She said, getting up suddenly from the chair beside him and turning to head back inside the house.

Crane shot up and grabbed her hand, not letting her leave before he said what he had promised himself she needed to hear.

"Do you not wish to hear of my true affection for you, Leftanent." He said as his hands held onto hers firmly, not letting go.

She turned to face him, her eyes pleading with his. "Crane… Our bond is sacred to me. More sacred than anything I have in my life. And our affection for each other… it's to be expected. We are Partners. Witnesses. Friends."

"Abbie, I love you." He said suddenly, the enormity of his statement cutting through the crisp night air.

She sighed, opening her lips slightly. "And I love you too, Crane. But…"

He cut her off. "Abigail Mills, I am _in love_ with you."

He watched as her eyes grew wild. Her hand pulling back from his suddenly and harshly as her lips parted slightly in shock.

They stood there, both silent, as seconds passed. Staring into each other's eyes as both of their chests heaved heavily.

"Crane… I can't…."

"I know. I know these words are ones that should never come from my lips. But you wanted to truly understand why I left. And I can not provide the truth without allowing myself to admit these truths."

He took a step closer to her and saw her step back in defense.

"Leftanent, you once told me that I didn't have a choice… when I killed Katrina. But that was a lie…" His voice trailed off. "I've always had a choice and that choice has always been you, Abbie."

"Crane…" She pleaded but he continued on.

"I realized in that moment how deep my feelings for you were. And I also knew that those feelings were not shared by you. Not in the way that I craved…. " Her eyes rose up to meet his suddenly. "So I left."

"And that mistake will never be one that will be committed by me again, Leftanent. I do not speak this to you in want of an answer back. I speak this to you so you understand that the very depths, the very pit of my existence revolves around you. Your happiness."

"What I desire most in this world is not a physical yearning upon which I can not have. What I desire most is just to be a part of your life, your presence. With that, I am satisfied."

Abbie closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, opening them back up to find him watching her profusely.

"Crane, I was lost without you, finding my way somewhere along the line after a few months but never really finding my happiness. Not even with my position within the Bureau.

"I hope you understand how deeply my affection runs for you too. But as for more…"

Crane walked over to where she stood and placed a finger on her lips. Bowing down heavily to bid her adieu for the evening. He stood back up and watched a slow smile spread across her face.

"I spoke before of not needing a response back from you. Goodnight, Leftanent." He said softly as she looked at him incredulously.

Abbie stared back at her partner. Her mind still trying to process his words that evening and what they meant for their future. But in that moment, she knew whatever the outcome would be, they'd be together. And that's what mattered most.

"Goodnight, Ichabod." She said quietly, a smile on her face as she turned to go back into the house.

He watched her leave, his fingers still stinging from where he had touched her lips.

He knew this conversation would not be the last he and the Leftanent would have on this subject. And he closed his eyes, hoping her rare usage of his first name gave meaning, hope of possibilities in the future.


	8. Chapter 8

Abbie stared at her wall, the first sunlight casting a reflection through her window as she threw the sheet over her face and slowly turned over.

"Oww", she grunted loudly, her body still sore from her chest wound. She would be lying if she said she wasn't entirely looking forward to getting out of her bed today. And it had nothing to do with physical therapy or the mound of paperwork she still needed to complete down at the station.

It had everything to do with Crane.

His words to her last night had been a complete surprise. In content and the fact he had actually spoken them aloud. Crane prided himself on his decorum. And last night, his confessions to her were anything but.

 _I am in love with you Abigail Mills._

She couldn't get that one out of her head. And as much as Crane assured her he could put his feelings aside and be content with just their partner/friendship, she wasn't sure if _she_ could. Things were different now, as much as she didn't want to think otherwise.

Every glance she gave him, every soft touch on the arm or face that she slowly began to realize how often she did, would be accompanied with the question of whether it would be interpreted wrongly. And she hated herself for thinking that way.

After another 20 minutes of procrastination, she finally forced herself out of bed. It was almost 9:30am, much later than she ever allowed herself to sleep, even on weekends.

The shower last night had done her a ton of good. And she planned to follow it up with a long soak in her bathtub that morning to scrub the remaining feelings of uncleanliness from her long hospital stay. She had just begun to draw her bath when Abbie failed to notice the small puddle of water that had come from her dipping her hand in to test the temperature. It all happened in slow motion. She quickly lost her footing and crashed down on the floor, her leg hitting the ceramic tub as she screamed out in pain.

"Leftanent! Leftanent!" She heard from afar as she began to open her eyes and gather what had just happened.

She heard her bedroom door fling open and a few seconds later she saw Crane's body above her, feverishly asking what had happened and if she was okay.

Abbie tried to sit up, realizing the pain from her still healing gunshot wound and the new gash on her leg forbid her from doing so without help.

"Hold on, Leftanent. I've got you." Crane said, as he easily lifted her body off the floor and carried her to the bed.

She held onto him tightly, clutching his long-limbed frame as he gently laid her down onto the duvet cover. She looked down at her wound and gasped as blood slowly dripped down her leg. She must have hit the metal faucet during her fall.

"Oh dear", Crane said, as he rushed into the bathroom to fetch a towel to catch the falling blood.

Abbie was about to curse herself for being so clumsy when she suddenly realized how little clothing she was wearing. Just her silk pajamas that left little up to the imagination when it came to what lay underneath.

Crane returned and she looked up right at the moment when he seemed to notice the same thing as well. His face flushed and he looked away, pardoning himself to go get the first aid kit as Abbie closed her eyes in awkwardness.

 _Not the smoothest way to let Crane know you wanna stick it out as just friends, Mills_. She thought to herself as she leaned over to grab her robe which was laid out on her bed.

She had already covered herself as best she could when Crane returned with the bandages.

"Not the most ideal start to your first morning home, I dare say." He smiled as he slowly began to clean up the blood on her legs with a wet towel.

"I guess I should take it a little easier, huh? Until I get full use of my body back."

Crane had already begun to bandage her leg when he looked up at her and smiled, his hands gently wrapped around her bare leg as he smoothed the bandage down.

"There. Good as new, Leftanent." He quickly rose and grabbed the items to leave her to her peace.

"I will brew a fresh pot of coffee in a few minutes for you." He said as he left the room. "Try not to injure any more body parts in the meantime."

Abbie smiled as he shut the door.

…

The next few weeks had gone by without incident… until the morning of December 1st. Abbie had been spending the first half of her mornings in rehab, slowly regaining strength back in her chest and core. She was making much faster progress than any of the doctors imagined and had been told her full clearance would be coming soon thereafter.

The remaining portion of her days were spent in the office confined to desk duty. They had assigned a new lead on the Myers case since she was still only working part time. But she wouldn't let that stop her from being as involved as she could to nab down the criminal who seemed to have a personal vendetta against her.

"Son of a bitch!" She yelled out in amazement, her eyes flying up to the agents surrounding her in the open office. "He's been hiding right in front of us this whole freaking time!"

She shot up, walking briskly into Reynolds office, holding the smoking gun paperwork in her hand.

"He's adopted." She said matter of factly as Reynold finished up a phone call.

"What?" He said back to her, his face agitated at her interruption of the conversation with his superior officer.

"Myers. We've been wondering his tie to this community, this area. Why he keeps coming back here to hide out and do business and it's been staring at us this whole damn time."

"Mills, I don't follow."

"Myers is adopted. Court records sealed when he was only 6 weeks old but I noticed a minor discrepancy in some of his hospital paperwork and decided to look deeper into it. His adoptive parents were filthy rich, apparently bought their way into passing off Myers as their biological child but he was adopted and his birth mother is from right outside Sleepy Hollow, sir."

Reynolds stood up slowly and walked over to her.

"His birth mother died a few years ago but there's a house still in her name off Breckenridge Rd. I bet you anything we go there and find Myers, sir."

"Mills… you are freaking brilliant." He said, wrapping her in a sudden embrace and soon summoning the other agents to his office.

Abbie watched as the team got their plan together and left the building to take Myers down. And she couldn't help feeling a certain sense of accomplishment. Of course, it bothered her that she wasn't the one who actually got to look him in the eyes as he was handcuffed and brought in. But because of her find, he was off the streets. Not able to injure or kill any more souls.

She walked into her house that evening, still high off of the Myers take down and found Jenny and Crane sitting in the kitchen.

"Abbie, what's going on? What's with the weird grin on your face?" Jenny asked, taking a sip of her wine as Crane raised an eyebrow at the Leftanent.

"We got him." She said, her mouth turning up into a full blown smile. "Myers. I found out how he was connected to this area and the team took him down today."

Crane walked over slowly to where Abbie stood.

"Leftanent… your intellect and keen insight never cease to amaze me."

She looked away suddenly, aware of how close he was standing to her and how dangerous those compliments were and shot a glance at Jenny, who had hopped down from the counters and was already heading into the other room.

"Get dressed, Abbie!" She yelled as she closed the bathroom door. "We're going to celebrate!"


	9. Chapter 9

When they got to the bar, Joe was already there with shots lined up. Leave it to Jenny to celebrate nabbing a top criminal by trying to get her drunk and puking in a toilet by the end of the night.

But she had to smile. It wasn't often they found themselves out together as a group anymore. And she had to admit it was fun. Even Crane was letting his hair down a little more tonight than she'd seen him do in a while. She watched him currently being dragged on stage by Joe to sing a rendition of Billy Joel's Uptown Girl.

She was so amused by the show in front of her that she didn't even notice Jenny slide into the stool next to her.

"Sooo…." She asked, breaking Abbie from her trance. "What's with you two lately?"

Abbie looked over at her, blowing off her question. "What are you talking about, Jenny?"

"Abbie don't play dumb with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You guys have been weird lately. Well, Crane not so much. He's still his same weird self, but you've been acting weird around him."

Abbie picked up her drink and guzzled the remainder, not liking where her Jenny's current line of questioning was going. When she put her drink down, she glared at her sister, letting her know she wasn't going to speak on the subject anymore.

"Ok. Ok. Fine. Forget I asked. I just thought I picked up on something, that's all. Not like you'd tell me anyway. No way, not Abbie. She doesn't let anyone get close to her or know her dirty little secrets. Like that fine ass boss of yours Reynolds… how the hell did you hold that secret in so long?"

Abbie looked over and smiled at Jenny. Even when her sister irked her nerves, she still had a way of making her laugh.

A few seconds passed with neither one saying a word until Abbie broke the silence.

"Crane told me that he is in love with me."

She heard the glass her sister had been drinking from crash down on the table and looked over to see her eyes bulged and mouth wide open.

"Umm… what?"

"Crane. Told. Me. He. Is. In. Love. With. Me." She said slowly, drinking the rest of her beer and beckoning another from the waitress.

"Oh my God. Well… now I know the answer to my earlier question." She looked over at Crane who was clearly on his way to feeling good and drunk and his arm around Joe on stage.

"And what did you say back to him?" Jenny asked nosily.

"What the hell do you mean what did I say back to him? I told him I didn't think of him like that and we should stick to being friends… witnesses. Because you know this fight and war between worlds doesn't leave us much time for walks in the park and candlelit dinners."

A sigh escaped from Jenny's lips and Abbie looked over to her, noticing her perturbed face.

"What, Jenny? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you're an idiot Abbie. You're the smartest and bravest woman I know but you're an idiot if you can't admit to yourself that you might feel something more for him."

Abbie inhaled and rubbed her temples, closing her eyes. "What I feel for Crane is partnership and comradery. It's never been anything romantic."

"Well, someone should tell your heart that. Because from the outside it looks like you may be just as in love with him as he is with you. Only difference… you won't allow yourself to admit it."

Abbie stared at her sister, her face flushed with irritation. "Ok, not doing this with you tonight Jenny. Forget I even mentioned anything."

"Oh, Abbie. Calm down. I'm not trying to get under your skin, I'm just talking as your sister." She paused and carefully continued on. "I've seen you interact with other people. Other men. And you're different with Crane. Not in a bad way. It's actually cool to watch. And maybe I'm wrong, maybe you don't have those kinds of feelings for him like he does for you. But don't pretend that idea has never entered your mind. Don't pretend that this link you have with him has never allowed you to imagine 'what ifs'. Because if you do, I'll know you're a liar."

Abbie grunted and quickly picked up her new beer as Jenny's words sunk in, drinking it all in down before finally allowing herself to open up to her sister.

"Ok yes. Of course I've wondered about it a few times but that doesn't mean I'm gonna act on it? I mean c'mon Jenny, we're Witnesses in a seven year war. We need to be able to trust each other and have each other's back without silly relationship drama getting in the way of it. What happens when it goes wrong?"

"And what happens if it goes all kinds of right, Abbie?" She looked over at her sister, catching her eye. "Look, I'm not telling you to do it or not. I mean I know what I would do that tall piece of British meat but that's me, not you."

Abbie rolled her eyes, punching her sister in the arm. "Unbelievable Jenny."

"Well, I mean damn. He's got two hundred years of built up sexual frustration, that shit would be hot as hell."

Abbie got up from her chair and started walking away from the table as Jenny pulled her back in, laughing at her sister's discomfort with her current topic of Crane and sex.

"Ok. Ok. Sorry. But seriously. I saw you when he left, Abs. And it was more than just 'my friend/my partner left town'. You were devastated without him. And even if you can't admit how much he means to you, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

They both watched as Crane and Joe walked over to their table, both men laughing and enjoying the attention from the other bar patrons. "Well, Mills sisters, it seems Joe and I may be the next big thing to come out of Sleepy Hollow."

Abbie looked over at him, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I'm pretty sure I'm not drunk enough to be a part of this conversation."

"And that, my dearest Abbie, we can fix." Crane said as he ordered another round of beers.

….

When the cab swerved, Abbie felt herself close her eyes and hold on for dear life to the door handle.

"Jesus, take it easy on us please."

"Sorry about that folks", the Uber driver said to the two Witnesses as he looked back and gave an irritated look. He really hated driving the late night hours.

Crane looked over at the Leftenant and laughed. "I do believe we are going to regret this night of celebration in the morning, Leftenant."

"I do believe you are right, Crane." She laughed and looked over at him. "But it was fun."

"Indeed it was." He said as he caught the gleam in her eyes. "It was good seeing you smile after all you've been through the past weeks."

She got quiet and looked out at the passing houses. "Yeah, well. I have to admit it feels good knowing Myers is behind bars." She said quietly. "The evil in that man's eyes… It's not something I ever want to see again."

Crane looked over at her and inhaled. They had faced so many supernatural evils in their two years together as Witnesses. Sometimes he often neglected to recognize the everyday evils in this world that still needed the attention and capture of the Leftenant.

She abruptly looked over at him now and his body stilled from the look in her eyes.

"After he shot me, he stood over me Crane. Just watching the life slip out of me and I remember the smirk on his face when he saw me come to the realization that I was going to die."

Crane sighed. "Leftenant…"

"And he bent over me and told it wasn't personal…. Can you believe that? I lay dying from the bullet that he shot into me and he had the nerve to say those words to me." She paused for a moment, reflecting on her memories. "And then he just took off and left me there staring up at the walls of his apartment bedroom."

She paused and looked away. Crane was paralyzed, dumbfounded by her admissions. They didn't come from the Leftenatnt that often.

"As I laid there on the floor, I remember thinking of you, Crane." She said as she looked back towards him, her eyes soft. She opened her mouth to say more, but stopped. Her lips parted slightly as she continued to stare into his eyes.

Crane reached over and found her hand in the darkness. "I should've been there for you." He said quietly. Now realizing the car was stopped and parked outside of their shared home. The cab driver remained silent, not wanting to interrupt what was clearly an intimate conversation being held in his backseat.

"You were there", she said, fidgeting slightly under his touch. "Calming me through my fears."

His hand grasped hers harder, which seemed to break Abbie out of her trance. She looked around, realizing the car was parked and politely thanked the cab driver before releasing her hand from Crane's grasp and opening the door to get out of the car.

He followed her inside the house and watched as she went straight to her bedroom, stopping by her door but not turning around to look at him.

Her voice was quiet, but firm as she spoke to him.

"I don't like needing you as much as I do."

And before Crane could even muster words in response, she had closed her door, leaving him alone in the darkness.


	10. Chapter 10

She had already left the next morning when Crane had awakened. He had sat in the kitchen, pondering over her statement in his head for two hours, until he realized her car was not in the drive and she had already left for work.

Not that he had been surprised. The Leftenant did not come freely with her feelings. And he imagined one as substantial as an admittance of need, was something she was not comfortable with speaking more of.

He hadn't gotten much sleep that night. His thoughts earmarked in wondering which way her need of him was essential. He knew from the prior night that her feelings for him were not of likeness to his for her. And he was truthful in his words that he was okay with it. And would never pressure her for more.

But now… Now that she had spoken aloud words that seemed to contradict those she earlier had vocalized, Crane was confused.

So much so that he barely heard the door open and Ms. Jenny appear before him until she was sitting down in front of him, staring and waving her hands wildly.

"Earth to Crane. You okay in there, big guy?" She said, laughing as he jumped at the realization that she had come into the house without him being the wiser.

"I am." He said, clearing his throat. "Just a bit heavy in my thoughts this morning."

She smirked as she got up to pour herself a cup of 2 hour old coffee.

"So… you got any big plans for today? Gonna do some shopping for the big event tonight?"

Crane turned and looked up at her, his face confused. "I do not know of which event you speak of?"

"Abbie didn't tell you?" She said as she sat back down in front of him, her face turning up at the drink she just tasted.

"The agency is throwing her and her team an impromptu soiree tonight at the Country Club to celebrate the capture of Myers. It's not that often that an FBI Top 20 criminal gets taken down by one of their small, remote offices."

Crane's brows furrowed and he looked down at his hands. "No, Ms. Jenny. The Leftenant did not make me aware of such an event."

"Well… I suggest you do your best to find something to wear that doesn't look like it's 200 years old, Crane. Apparently this thing is going to be a big deal. Lots of high profile FBI suits there. Don't want to make Abbie look bad."

He squirmed and rose from his chair, looking out the window in their kitchen. "Perhaps I am not meant to attend. If the Leftenant had wanted me there, I am sure she would have told me herself instead of having me hear it from you."

Jenny looked over at Crane and laughed. "Of course she wants you there, Crane. She just told me about it this morning. Maybe she just hadn't had the time to fill you in yet."

He turned around and looked over at her. Jenny was eyeing his clothing up and down and shaking her head in disapproval.

"Regardless… you're going and you need something other than…. that… to wear. I have a few extra hours to kill. I could help you out if you want."

He smiled nervously and nodded. "If you insist. I do not wish to be an embarrassment, as you say, to the Leftenant on a night meant to honor her. Although, I will say that I do take slight offense to your disparaging comments on my clothing. In my day, the clothing I wore was always looked up on with honor and esteem and….

"Oh lay off it, Crane. I'm not judging your gear. But these aren't the 1700s anymore. It's 2015. And with that you need something that says 'I'm here. I'm now. And I'm not looking back.'"

He closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair, painfully aware that today was not going to be enjoyable in the slightest for him.

….

She had almost finished getting dressed when she heard the commotion outside her bedroom door. A bunch of whistles and hollers from what appeared to be Joe and Jenny and she could only imagine what had gotten them so riled up.

She looked at herself once more in her full length mirror and smiled. The dress Jenny had chosen wasn't one that anyone would have expected her to wear. But Abbie didn't mind the eyes on her tonight and wanted to bask in the glory of nabbing one of the top criminals and making sure he wouldn't see the light of day for the rest of his life.

She put on a little more lipstick, a reddish blend that Jenny had insisted looked great with her form fitting black dress and opened her door to go out to the kitchen.

She saw Joe first and smiled as he turned around in his tux, smiling from ear to ear.

"Well look at you Joe… I'm not sure I've ever seen you in a tux before."

He walked over to where she was standing and kissed her on her cheek. "Not too bad yourself Agent Mills. You're pulling out all the stops to get that well-deserved front office, huh?"

He laughed as she punched his arm and turned around, looking for Jenny.

"Where's my sister? I heard her cackling about something in here with you a few minutes ago."

"I'm right here", she said as she walked into the kitchen, stopping as she saw her sister in the dress she had picked out.

"Damn, Abbie. I knew I was good but I didn't know I was that good." She said as she smiled.

"Oh please. You guys are giving me a complex about this dress…. And where's Crane, we're going to be late."

"I'm right in here, Leftenant." He said, walking into the kitchen with his head down, fumbling with the buttons on his new suit.

Her eyes took him in before he had the chance to look up and Abbie felt her breath catch in her throat.

This was not Crane.

It couldn't be. Not in the attire that just casually strolled into her kitchen.

His eyes suddenly rose to hers and he watched as she glared over him. He was wearing a dark black 3-piece suit which was definitely inspired by the 1700s but with a modern twist unlike she had ever seen. It was fashionable. Modern. And he looked damn good in it.

Jenny broke the silence a few seconds later.

"I did good, right, Abbie?" She said as she walked over and helped him with one of the last buttons on his vest.

Abbie's eyes slowly rose to meet his and she nodded slightly. "Yeah… you did."

Crane parted his lips to speak but was interrupted by the ringing of her phone asking of her arrival time to the party. It seemed that most of the other honorees were already there and things were waiting on the Leftenant before they could get fully started.

He followed behind her hastily, making their way to the SUV as Jenny and Joe got in the front seat and Abbie reached for the back. As he lifted his hand to help her step inside the vehicle, he could not miss the opportunity to tell her what he meant to say earlier.

"You look beautiful, Leftenant." He said as he closed her door softly.


	11. Chapter 11

Two hours into the party and Crane had found himself alone and sitting by the bar area enjoying a whiskey. He watched the Leftenant off across the room, laughing and speaking at length with Agent Reynolds and two of the higher officials who had driven up from Washington D.C.

He gulped another drink and motioned the bartender for one more.

The night had gone splendid. Crane had found himself full of pride for the Leftenant and basking in the glory of her achievements as if he had accomplished them himself. And even though he was delighted, he still found himself dejected. For he knew what this might mean for the Leftenant and her potential rise within the Bureau. She was a star; a young, bright talent that was now on the radar of a lot of powerful people. And talent like that, would not be kept in Sleepy Hollow long.

Agent Reynolds had even mentioned the same sentiments to him earlier when he had come over briefly to get a drink for himself and the Leftenant, who had been by his side almost the entire night.

The way he had looked at him… eyeing him curiously to see his reaction to his words. It made Crane uncomfortable. On a few different levels. And as a result, he had not left the bar area for the remainder of the night. Deciding to wallow in his worries, while allowing the Leftenant to shine amongst her peers.

He was taken out of his thoughts when he felt a slight breeze and someone sit down beside him.

"Hey there, stranger." She said as she smiled at him.

"Hello, Leftenant." He said, smiling back. "I thought you were still involved in deep exchange with Agent Reynolds and the other two gentlemen."

"I was", she said softly. "But I saw you over here siting alone and wanted to make sure you were okay. I know I haven't been much company tonight with everything going on."

"Oh goodness, no. I am fine. This night is about you, Agent Mills. Not me." He said assuring. "I am quite enjoying seeing you get recognized for the fine work that you do on a daily basis. It makes me proud."

She smirked. "Agent Mills, tonight, huh? You never call me that."

"Well, it does seem fitting tonight since you're being recognized by the Bureau." He said back to her. "But you'll always be my Leftenant…"

She smiled softly at him, trying to overlook his usage of the possessive pronoun _my_ when referring to her. He looked over the dance floor as the band began playing a waltz. Jenny and Joe were already on the floor, swaying softly along with some other attendees from the Bureau.

Crane watched as she stared and offered his hand. "Would you care to waltz, Leftenant."

She quickly turned her head and looked back at him, nodding gently. She knew Crane had taken dance classes with Katrina as a way to solidify their relationship. And the waltz was one that he once admitted he enjoyed the most.

He got up, leading her to the dance floor slowly. His hand enveloping hers gently, but firm.

She followed as he led her to the middle of the floor, turning around and staring her in the eyes as he took his left hand in her right and softly placed his other hand underneath her shoulder blade.

Abbie smiled and put her hand on his shoulder, silently chuckling at his confidence. She presumed the formality in the waltz stance held a familiarity that he craved in these modern times. She followed his lead gracefully as he began. And was stunned at how effortless their first dance together was. She had never seen Crane move before in this way. But from what she knew of his past, knowing how to dance properly with a woman would be something he would have been required to learn.

They danced the waltz for two melodies until they both stopped abruptly when the music changed to a more modern slow song.

Not wanting their dance to end, Abbie stepped closer to him, moving her arm from his shoulder to around his back as she led the way in swaying back and forth. She could tell he was uncomfortable with this new style. And laughed softly.

"It's okay, Crane…. Just relax a little."

He loosened his grip on her, moving his right hand lower to sit at her waist. He felt her shudder softly as his unexpected movement. And almost began to back away from her and suggest they go back to the bar but was interrupted by her words.

"I'm glad you came, Crane." She said softly, avoiding his gaze in such close range.

"I am grateful for the invitation, Leftenant." He said quietly back at her. "I can't think of any other place I would rather be than here with you right now."

His words caused her to look up at him. Her eyes hesitant, nervous of where the conversation was heading.

"Me either." She whispered, stepping in closer to him, their bodies touching softly now.

Crane felt himself losing every bit of the self-control he prided himself on, but couldn't look away. He stared into her eyes, his body electric from the friction between them as they swayed back and forth to the slow and steady music. He felt himself grip her waist tighter as her body closed the gap between any space that was previously left between them.

Her 4" heels has given her a height upon which he was not used to. And he felt her face, dangerously close to his as he held her close. Her breath becoming shallow, unable to hide her discomposure at their proximity. When her cheek brushed his he felt his breath intake, causing her to turn and look him in the eyes.

Only two inches separated their faces as they stared upon one another. He saw the fear and trepidation as she stood frozen and unable to make sense of the mix of emotions playing out in front of her. His gaze drifted from her soft, brown eyes to her lips, which parted slightly.

Crane whispered her name, causing her to look up from his lips to his eyes and she knew he saw it. The desire that she had tried so hard to deny for so long was now plainly written all over her face.

He felt her break away suddenly, mumbling his name as she hurried off the dance floor and up the stairs that led to the balcony off the side of the clubhouse. He quickly followed her and thought maybe he had been mistaken of her path when he didn't immediately see her.

But then he heard her soft mumbles, presumably to herself, and turned the corner to see her leaning against the railing.

"Abbie…" He said softly as she turned quickly to face him. Her eyes were wild with fear, and it caused him to stop in his tracks.

"Crane… I can't do this." She said, her eyes closing as she shook her head. "We can't do this…. our mission…. Our duties. They are too important to do this."

"Leftenant, do you honestly think I do not own these same fears… these same worries that you possess?"

His words caused her to open her eyes and look at him.

"Do you not think your words are what I tell myself every single time I look at you? Every single time your beauty and intellect gets the best of me and I find myself lost in my dreams of what could be?"

She sighed and bent her head down groaning. "Crane… please."

"I do not wish to cause you strain, Leftenant. And I admit that tonight I found myself in a situation in which I had difficulty containing my feelings for you. And for that I apologize. It will not happen again."

He heard her sigh and look over at him again. Her eyes pleading with him to turn away and leave. But he couldn't.

"Just tell me that I am not alone in this." He said, stepping closer to her.

She backed away from his step, her hands grasping the railing behind her. "Crane, what are you talking…."

"Tell me…. Leftenant. That your feelings for me do not run deeper than you will allow yourself to admit."

She shifted uncomfortably as he stood, watching her eyes in the soft darkness of the evening.

"What does it matter, Crane. We can't be together."

He interrupted her, stepping within arms length of her now. "It matters to me." He said softly.

She looked away, her eyes needing to focus on anything other than his pleading looks at her to tell the truth. To open up her heart for once in her life.

"Abbie…." He said softly, forcing her to look back up at him. He watched her lips tremble, knowing how desperately she wanted to leave from under his gaze. But he couldn't. Not until he heard it. Not until she said the words he knew in his heart were the truth.

She closed her eyes slowly and he reached out, softly caressing her cheek. The move surprised her and she instinctively leaned her face into his touch, opening her eyes to stare back at him.

"You are not alone in this, Crane." She said, barely above a whisper.

He breathed in deeply, dropping his hand from her face at her admission. Knowing that she felt even an inkling of the adoration and affection he felt for her was enough for him to lose his senses. And he found himself taking a few steps back, willing himself away from her repentant eyes.

They could not be together. And even though the love was there, they had more substantial things to accomplish. The Leftenant had made that painfully aware.

"Thank you, Leftenant." He said as he dropped his head low and closed his eyes. "And I promise to you I will never revisit this conversation again."

He turned on his heels to walk back into the building, his legs shaky as he quickly tried to distance himself from his partner, when he heard her voice.

"Crane…." He heard her say softly, turning around to see her walking steadily towards him.

And suddenly, her lips were on his. Gently enveloping his as though they were a part of his flesh. His eyes closed and he savored her touch, her smell, her taste. Committing it to memory as they remained sealed into each other.

Crane thought about pulling back, making sure this kiss was what she really wanted, after all of her expressed fears about taking their relationship further. But when her hands found his hair, tussling through it as she stepped closer to him, he realized he could not pull away even if he wanted to.

He felt himself moan into her mouth as his hands wrapped around her body, pulling her closer to him, as their kiss deepened. She bit softly on his lips and thought he might lose all sensation in his legs if he didn't get a hold of himself.

Crane had never experienced a kiss like this. And found the modesties of his past life quickly leaving his mind as his hand reached down and grabbed her low on her backside.

She moaned in his mouth and he felt her tongue pressing to enter as he welcomed it with no hesitation. It wrapped around his, feverishly tasting ever crevice of him she could.

It was only a few seconds later when he heard a soft chuckle from behind him.

"Well…. I guess all that talk about not making presumptions on your roommate situation was a lie. Was it not, Agent Mills?"

Their kiss broke with the same intensity that it had begun and they both turned around to see Agent Reynolds standing with a strained look on his face.

Abbie, looked down, straightening her dress and hair as she avoided Crane's gaze and walked to where he was standing.

"Agent Reynolds, I … "

"Save it, Mills. The director wanted to speak with you before he left for the evening so I came to see where you were." He said, pausing to look over at Crane. "Not sure if you can tear yourself away but it would behoove of you to say your farewells."

She nodded and walked past him as Crane called out to her.

"Abbie…" He said, not quite sure of what his next words were going to be.

"Crane," she said painfully. "I'll see you back at the house."

He watched her open the door to the ballroom stairwell, leaving both men alone.

Crane sat in silence for a few seconds before he followed behind her to the stairs, getting stopped by Reynold's hand on his chest, preventing him from moving past him.

"I don't like you, Crane. Not in the slightest. And best believe I will continue to look out for Abbie's best interests whether they involve you or not."

Crane nodded, refraining from saying the words that were truly on his mind, as he walked past him and went back down to the ballroom to find Joe and Jenny and take leave home.

He wasn't sure of where things left themselves with the Leftenant. But in his heart, he knew that even though he should have been happy about her admissions and their kiss, he couldn't shake the feeling It was innately an action she already regretted.


	12. Chapter 12

It was pitch dark when she slowly opened the front door to her house.

 _Their house_. She silently thought to herself as she tiptoed to the kitchen, trying to make as little noise as possible.

It was almost midnight. And Abbie had stayed conversing with the Chief Director for almost 90 minutes after Reynolds had interrupted her and Crane.

 _Shit_. She thought again. _Crane_.

Her mind was unable to process what had happened between them tonight. She kept getting mental images of herself throwing her body onto his, taking his lips within her own.

It almost felt surreal. As if it had been only a dream.

But then she quickly remembered Danny walking in on them… And knew it had not been a dream.

It was a fucking nightmare.

Danny had tried to talk to her about it as she was leaving the country club. But Abbie ignored his questions and got into the cab without hesitation.

She was having trouble explaining it to herself. How the hell was she supposed to explain it to him?

She had poured herself a glass of water and was silently walking through the living room when she heard him speak.

"Leftenant…" He said softly, turning around on the couch to look at her, standing up to greet her in the darkness.

"Crane…" She said, shock in her voice. "I didn't see you there in the dark. What are you doing?"

He straightened himself up and looked over at her. "Waiting for you." He said softly, walking slowly over to where she stood.

"Crane… listen. About what happened tonight…" She said, her head down, avoiding his gaze. "It shouldn't have. It was a mistake."

He hesitated for a moment, taking in her stale words. "Which part, Leftenant?" He said, her face looking up into his.

She scrunched her brow, appearing to not understand the meaning behind his question.

"Which occurrence of tonight do you deem a mistake?" He said gently, hesitating a bit. "Your admittance of deeper feelings towards me?"

She sighed and bent her head down, looking away. "Crane…"

"Or our kiss, Leftenant?" He said, slightly above a whisper. "Because I am having a hard time with any thoughts that either of those resembles the mistake you speak of."

She closed her eyes, breathing in deep. She had not wanted to speak of this tonight with him. Not yet. Not until she had sorted out exactly what had happened between them. Abbie had allowed her guard to come down. She had given him a glimpse into her heart and knew the consequences of that action. And even though she couldn't get the taste of him out of her mind…. Off of her lips… She knew they could not be together in this way. Not again.

When she looked back up at him, his eyes were drooped low. Hanging on her every sigh, her every tremble, her every word.

"What do you want from me, Ichabod?" She asked, her voice cracking in the darkness.

He hesitated, opening his mouth to speak. Not knowing if she could handle the truth of his heart.

"Everything." He said softly as he turned to bed, leaving her in their living room. The depth of his words still hanging onto the midnight air as she fell to the couch, tears falling from her face.


	13. Chapter 13

" _I screwed up Jenny…"_ She texted her sister as she sat outside the field office in her car.

 _"_ _What are you talking about Abbie?"_ She saw her sister write back as she uncontrollably typed a response back.

 _"_ _Last night…. I kissed Crane."_ She typed, hesitantly hitting the send button.

 _"_ _And Danny walked in on us."_ She added to her text. Hoping her sister could actually provide some sensible advice instead of her normal sarcastic riddled way with words.

 _"_ _.God. I knew it!"_ She saw flash across her screen and instantly regretted her confession.

 _"_ _What are you going to do?"_

Abbie laughed frantically as she looked down at her phone.

 _"_ _That's kind of why I was texting you. Danny texted me as soon as I got home last night asking me to meet him at his office at 6:00am before the other agents arrive. And now it's 5:55 and I can't bring myself to go inside."_

She looked up at Agent Reynold's office and didn't see a light on, which meant he probably hadn't arrived yet. And admittedly, her first instinct was to turn on her heels and head back home. Except for the fact that what waited for her there was no less traumatic.

She heard her phone beep and looked down.

 _"_ _Well A) You can't sit in your car for the rest of your life. You have to get out eventually. And B) Things between you and Danny are over, right? So what if he caught you and Crane in a full makeout session (was there tongue?) It doesn't make you any less of a good agent. And as your boss, he shouldn't let anything personal get in the way of the amazing work you do, Abbie."_

She smiled and closed her eyes. She often criticized Jenny for her outlook on life and the world, but her sister was always her biggest support system.

She had just begun typing " _Thanks"_ when she heard a knock at her window and saw Agent Reynolds eyeing her suspiciously as she slowly rolled it down to greet him.

"Morning, sir." She said, not knowing how long he had been watching her sit in her car like a 16 year old girl texting on her phone.

"Morning, Agent Mills." He said as he looked up at the building. "Are you going to join me upstairs or continue texting love notes on your phone?"

She sighed and opened her mouth to speak when he curtly walked away from her car and headed towards the building.

 _Oh yeah_ , she thought to herself. _Today was going to be a doozy._

…..

"So I'm sure you're wondering why I called you in so early this morning, especially given our late night at the party."

He said as he eyed her guardedly.

"I am, sir." She said softly.

"You impressed the right people last night, Mills. I got a phone call from the director as soon as he left the party saying as much."

Abbie stared at him, her eyes growing bigger with his statement. Whatever she thought this meeting was about… she was dead wrong.

"They want to offer you a new regional chief position that just opened up out West." He said slowly. "Oregon to be exact. You'd be overseeing quite a large chunk of area and offices, Mills."

She opened her mouth to speak, unable to hide her shock and surprise at the words that were coming out of his mouth. Never did she expect this. Not so soon, anyway.

"Wow." She said, her mouth turning up into a large grin. "I don't even know what to say."

"Say yes, Abbie. It's the only logical thing to say. I already have."

Her brow creased as she stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, they seem to think we work well together. And that splitting us up might not be in the Bureau's best interests. So they offered me the Assistant Director position for the same area."

He watched as she slowly understood, shaking her head. "Wow, Danny. That's just… wow." She said as his face flashed a million dollar smile. "So you'd still be my boss?"

"Why do you say that as if it's a bad thing, Abbs? This is exactly what we always wanted. To rise up together, look out for each other. No one, Abbie, no one has done what we have done so quick in their careers."

"I know, Danny. I just…"

He cut her off. "Please don't tell me this has anything to do with Crane."

She sighed, looking down at her lap. "You don't understand…"

"Well, help me understand, Abbie. Please. Because from my vantage point, all this dude is doing is keeping you down and stopping you from growing into the agent you've always dreamed of being."

"He is not holding me back…"

"Well he sure was holding you in an inappropriate way last night."

Her eyes shot up, cutting through the distance between them like a knife.

"Not fair, Danny. That was… that was a first." She said softly, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead in stress.

"So make it a last." He said roughly. Watching her eyes as his words sunk in. "Don't say no to this, Mills. I'm not sure when an opportunity like this will come up again. For either of us."

She nodded, slowly rising out of her chair.

"When do they want a decision?"

He sighed. "End of today."

Her lips pursed as she looked into his eyes, nodding her head in agreement, as she walked out of his office and back out to her car.

Danny was right. This promotion was what she had always wanted for herself. And yet, she was hesitant.

And as much as she wouldn't admit it was because of Crane, it was.


	14. Chapter 14

He heard the front door open a few seconds before she appeared in the living room.

Crane had been sitting beside the morning fire, his coffee untouched as his mind kept wandering back to the moments with the Leftenant the previous evening.

"Leftenant…" He said, looking up at her through confused eyes. "You are back so soon from work?"

She sighed, removing her jacket and placing her keys on the end table next to where he sat.

"I am." She said as she walked over to the opposite end of the couch. "I kind of needed to talk to you about something. And didn't want to do it over the phone."

Crane nodded, motioning for her to sit down across from him. "Can I get you any coffee or anything to eat?"

She smiled. "No, Crane. Just …. Just let me get this out before I lose all nerve."

He saw the troubled look on her face and immediately winced.

"Leftenant… look, there is nothing that you need to 'get out'. Nothing more you need to say. Last night… I knew you view it as a mistake. And the last thing I want to do is cause this stress upon you. There need not be any unnecessary conflicts between the two of us… We are fighters together in this battle. And if that's all we can be to one another as we fight side by side, then so be it." He paused. "As long as we are side by side… I won't want for more."

She winced at his words and cut him off before he could say any more.

"Crane, I was offered a promotion to Regional Chief…"

His lips immediately curled into a smile. "Leftenant… that's amazing."

"In Oregon, Crane." She said abruptly. "I'd have to move to Oregon."

The realization of what exactly she was telling him hit Crane like a ton of bricks. His worst fears were realized. And as much as he tried to keep the disappointment, the fear, hidden from her; he knew he couldn't.

"Oregon…" he said softly, his eyes drifting downward, for fear of them betraying his true emotions.

"Yes. And that's why I needed to talk to you about it." She said hesitantly. "Oregon is far away Crane. I… I wouldn't be much of a partner to you all the way on the other side of the country." She stopped, fearing she would say too much. "And I'm not sure I could leave you here… dealing with everything alone."

He looked back up at her, sighing heavily.

"Leftenant… this position is what you have always wanted. Is it not?"

She chuckled softly and looked down at her hands. "It is Crane, but..."

"Well then you must take it." He said, cutting her off. Forcing his mouth to say the words his heart begged him to speak aloud.

She looked up at him, shocked at what she had just heard.

"Crane…" she muttered softly.

"No, Abbie." He said almost forcibly. "Our fight together… Our enemies should not be given the power to prevent you from living your dreams."

He paused, watching her closely. "You have given up so much, Leftenant. For this cause, this fight. You've sacrificed your dreams, your health, your sanity at times…."

"You need to do this for you." He finally said, louder than before. "Me, Jenny, Joe… we can hold things down while you are across the country. And if we need you, you know we will call."

She watched over him, her face a mix of shock and unbelief.

"I'm not sure what I was expecting you to say Crane… but those words weren't it." She snickered softly.

"What did you expect?" He said, his face entertained.

"I half expected you to throw yourself in front of the door forbidding me to leave."

Crane thought about her words and smiled.

"I never want to be the thing that keeps you from reaching your full potential, Leftenant. You are a valuable agent. And this world needs you." He said genuinely as she looked on in astonishment.

She reached across the table, laying her hand over his gently.

"You never cease to amaze me, Crane." She said softly as a strained smile appeared on his face.

"You are the one worthy of that statement, Leftenant." He said, looking down as her fingers began to gently stroke his.

Abbie looked down, realizing suddenly what she had been doing and pulled her hand away.

"I should get back to the office." She said suddenly. "Speak with Agent Reynolds and let him know what I've decided."

Crane nodded, rising up from the couch as she reached to grab her things. "I am sure Agent Reynolds will be sad to see you go."

She stopped abruptly. Turning around to face Crane with a pained look on her face.

"Actually… Agent Reynolds was offered a promotion as well, Crane. He'll be the new Director in the same region as myself."

She saw the shockwave hit his body and looked away. How could she have forgotten to mention that detail…

"Oh…" Crane said softly, as he turned away to gather his coffee mug. Avoiding the Leftenant's eyes as he brushed past her to the kitchen.

"Well then… I'm sure it will be good to have a familiar face in an unfamiliar place, Leftenant."

"Crane…" she said, as he brushed past her again on his way to his bedroom.

"I shall see you upon your return today, Leftenant." He said, closing his bedroom door and cutting her off.

…

Abbie hadn't returned back to the station until almost 5pm. Her mind was a million places after her discussion with Crane and she had gone to one of her favorite spots in the woods to process her thoughts.

It didn't take her long to realize she was angry. Angry at Crane…for not forcing her to stay. For not making it known to her just how much he needed her in that moment. For allowing her to pursue her dreams, even if it meant doing so without him.

She knew this wasn't fair to him. But she didn't care.

She felt unwanted. Not needed. Even after all of the words he had spoken to her previously. Because in this moment… in this real life moment of having to decide what path her life would go down, she wanted Crane to make her choose him.

And she realized at once that it was herself who she should be most angry with.

Angry for not allowing herself to voice her true desires, her true thoughts and feelings for the man she had grown to care for these past three years.

When she had arrived at the office, it was empty but for a few lights on in the building. One of which she knew was Reynolds.

"Abbie…" He said, a slight smile forming onto his face as he saw her approach his office. "I almost thought you were going to ditch me and make me tell the Director you didn't want the position."

"I don't, Danny." She said as she stood by his door. "I can't take the position."

He stood up, the smile leaving his face as he walked over to where she stood. "What are you talking about, Abs?"

She hesitated. "I am officially turning the position down."

He sighed heavily, standing right in front of her now.

"Abbie, don't do this. Ok? Let's talk this out for a minute because I need you to understand what you are really turning down here."

"Danny, I know. Believe me, I get it. But there are things that I can't leave here. Things I can't turn away from…"

He snickered, turning around to face the window, running his hands along his face.

"You mean, Crane?" He said, turning back around to face her. "Jesus, Abbie. He has that much of a hold on you? Because the Abbie that I knew a few months ago would never let any men keep her from her dreams."

"It's not Crane. Well, not just about Crane. Look Danny, you wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you. I just can't that's all."

"Abbie there is no guarantee that an offer like this will come again for you. Turning this down… it won't look good in the Director's eyes."

She looked down at her feet. Knowing in her heart that the words he spoke were true.

"I know. Which is why I've given it a lot of thought. I have. But I still come to the same conclusion each time, Danny. And that's no."

His face stressed, he closed the distance between them.

"I'm not sure I'm going to be able to let you go this time around, Abs." He said softly, his fingers grabbing her hand as she shifted uncomfortably.

"Danny…." She said as she looked into his eyes. "You are going to make a great Director. And I've always been and will continue to be your biggest supporter. I just can't give you anything more…."

He smiled softly. His other finger brushing her cheek. "I know, Mills. But there will never be a day where I don't stop caring about you."

He leaned in to kiss her cheek as she closed her eyes. This man had captured a piece of her heart not so very long ago. But things were different now. Her heart belonged, unintentionally, to someone else. Even if she couldn't fully admit it.

When he pulled away, she opened her eyes and smiled.

"Knock 'em dead Danny." She said, turning to leave the building.

Her thoughts only on one person as she sped to her house.


	15. Chapter 15

_Hours earlier….._

Crane heard her car leave a few minutes after he had retreated to his bedroom hastily.

He couldn't allow the Leftenant to see him like this. His emotional state would have done neither of them any good in that moment.

 _She was leaving him_. He thought as he laid down on his bed. Leaving their journey… their partnership… their friendship behind to chase her dreams.

And even though his words had told her she needn't stay. His heart wanted to shout out to her in anger and in fear. His heart couldn't forget the words she uttered telling him he was not alone in his feelings of want and desire.

His heart loved her. And screamed at him from his bedroom to go stop her. To tell her what it would do to him if she left. To remind her of all the good they do when they are together.

But he hadn't. He had let her go without a fight. Without even an admittance that he didn't want her to leave. That he wanted her to stay.

And even though in his heart he knew it wasn't true, he couldn't shake the feeling that she had picked Reynolds over her. And he cringed thinking of her in another man's arms. Even though he had no claim to her heart. Nor to her happiness.

It wasn't until later in the evening when he finally got up the nerve to do what he should've done earlier.

Hoping he still had time to convince her to think twice about her decision, he drove to catch her still at the office.

He pulled up to the building, seeing only a few cars there. Hers being one of them and almost lost his courage.

But he willfully forced himself to go in and see if he could change her mind.

As the elevator doors opened, his vision was immediately transfixed to the right. There, against the door, leaned the Leftenant. He stopped abruptly, seeing Agent Reynold standing closely in front of her. Her hand in his, as they appeared to be having an intimate conversation.

Crane watched as he leaned in, kissing her cheek, and lingering a little too long to be deemed appropriate for work behavior.

And that's when Crane knew. She had picked him. She had picked the life she always wanted. Her dream job. Someone to share it with. Someone who knew her, who 'got' her and all of her wit and charm. Someone who wouldn't need to be babysat and coddled through this 21st century because they had lived in a time unlike the present.

He turned back and pushed the elevator doors closed.

Returning to his car and driving back to the house they shared….

If only for a short while longer.


	16. Chapter 16

Abbie opened her front door to what appeared to be an empty house. Her footsteps met only with silence as she turned into the kitchen and placed her bags down.

It wasn't until she stepped closer to the living room that she saw the fire. And saw him. Sitting on the couch in much the same position that she had met him with earlier that morning.

"Crane…" She said softly. "Everything ok?"

He spoke without turning around to look at her, which was unlike him.

"Yes, Agent Mills." He said rather coldly. "I dare say I am splendid."

She walked over to the couch, looking down at him as he stared at the fire, still avoiding her eyes.

"Crane, what the hell? What is going on with you?"

"With me?" He chuckled slightly, finally raising his eyes to look at her. "What do you think is going on with me, Leftenant. You are leaving!", he screamed, a bit louder than planned, as he rose from the couch.

"Leaving me to live your dreams while I just sit here and do what? Fight this war without you?" He paused, closing his eyes.

"How can you just leave, Abbie?" He whispered. "Leave what we've started. Leave me…"

She listened to his words and became furious.

"So why didn't you tell me as much earlier Crane! You sat in front of me without any hesitation and acted as if my leaving was an opportunity I couldn't refuse."

She paused, waiting on an answer which he did not give.

"God dammit, I needed you to tell me I was making a mistake, Crane."

He watched as she put her head in her hands.

"I came to your office earlier. To stop you." He said, as he turned back towards the fire. "But it looked like you had already given your answer to Reynolds… So I left."

"Wait a minute… what are you talking about?" She said as she walked to stand close in front of him. "You saw me talking with Danny?"

He nodded his head and chuckled softly. "Well, it didn't look like the two of you felt like talking so much as doing other things of which I am sure you will have plenty of time for in Oregon…", he said offensively, feeling the slap, before he registered what just happened.

When he turned back to look into her eyes, he saw the tears, pooling hot and falling from her face.

"God damn you, Crane." She said, walking away from him and steadily toward her bedroom, slamming the door shut.

…..

He had poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat on the couch, reliving the last few moments and cringing at his crude assumption and inexcusable words towards the Leftenant.

And after several knocks on her door being unanswered, he was now resigned to not only lose her, but to send her away with anger and contempt in her heart.

He had taken a few sips when he saw her appear near the couch.

"I shouldn't have slapped you. I'm sorry." She said softly.

"It is I who should be apologizing, Leftenant. I never meant to disrespect you in such a way." He said as he rose from the couch, his eyes soft into hers. "Truth be told, I found myself to be innately jealous and filled with emotions which a decent man should not harbor. And it may sound stupid and trite, but my first thought was that you had picked him, not the job. Over me."

She laughed, causing a confused look on his face. "I didn't pick him over you, Crane." She said as she stepped closer. "And I didn't pick the job. I turned it down."

"You what?" He said sharply, the confused look still riddled over his face. "But I thought…"

"I heard what you said this morning. And truth be told, I was angry that didn't try to stop me. But then I realized that it was me who should be angry with myself. For not facing my fears and my admissions with courage… and instead running away."

"I don't understand, Leftenant…"

"I'm tired of being scared of these feelings I have for you." She said softly.

"And I'm not sure I can run from them anymore…" She whispered, looking up at him with soft brown eyes.

He stepped closer to her in the light of the dwindling fire. His hand brushing across her face, caressing her cheek. He waited for her to turn away. To tell him that this fire between them, shouldn't be fanned. Shouldn't be tended.

But she didn't.

And as his lips softly brushed against hers, he was sure of what heaven must feel like. Because he was experiencing it… here on Earth.

Her lips were soft, much like he remembered from before. But in this moment, he took his time. Gently caressing them with his own as if they were fine china, too delicate to handle roughly. His other hand rose to cradle her face between his long fingers, as he gently held her against him.

He felt himself smiling as he pulled away, looking at her face, making sure this was still okay. And her smile back told him everything he needed.

"I do not want to go thru this world without you by my side, Abigail Mills." He whispered.

"Nor do I, Crane." She said softly back as he bent down again, taking her lips once more within his. He felt her step into him, her body pressing up against his willingly. Their kisses getting more urgent with each passing second.

He opened his mouth wider, firm upon hers, and felt her do the same as their tongues met once again. He wrapped his hands around her waist, closing any remaining space that had been left between them as he felt her hands wrap around him as well. Her fingers finding his hair, and running her hands through it, sending a sensation throughout his body which made him shudder.

She must have felt him respond to her touch because the next thing Crane knew she had raised herself on her tip toes, pressing her body into him more and kissing him deeper and more passionately than before.

He felt his body falling backwards and reached a hand back to catch himself on the couch as she fell with him. He watched intently as she lowered herself down onto him, straddling Crane with her two legs and holding him captive as she leaned in to kiss him again. This time, without ease. Without tenderness.

She was all over him. And he, in tune to every movement and shift of her body, was begging for more. Disregarding all decencies and proprieties of his time as his tongue plunged into her mouth and his hands gripped around her backside, pulling her closer and deeper onto him. He felt her start to move her hips against him and moaned, in pleasure and shame.

For he was unable to control himself much longer without allowing her to feel just what he wanted and desired from her at this very moment.

His hands gripped her harder as she picked up the pace of her hips. Rocking steady back and forth against him as he let go of his sensibility and gave in to his lusts. And he knew she felt him when she moaned against his lips loudly and broke apart from their kiss suddenly, whispering against him.

"Touch me, Crane." She moaned as her lips devoured his once again, her hands removing his from behind her and placing them onto her waist.

Crane knew they should stop. Knew they shouldn't take things this far but he couldn't. Not when she tasted and felt like the most toxic delicacy imaginable.

When his hands moved up her waist and brushed the sides of breasts, he felt her shudder. Causing him to groan against her, his hands gliding over her breasts and brushing over her hard nipples thru her shirt.

"Oh God…", she muttered against him as she pulled away from his lips, their foreheads touching as they both lay panting on the couch.

"We need to stop." He said, slightly above a whisper as she let out a moan.

"Yes…" She said seductively, as her hips remained grinding slowly onto him.

"Sweet Jesus, Abbie." He groaned as he kissed her feverishly. "If you do not stop right now, I don't think myself capable of being the voice of reason."

She laughed at his way with words, even as they lay hungry and desperate for one another on her living room couch.

"I'm sorry, Crane…" she said as she pulled away from his face, looking upon him. "I didn't mean to take things this far before you were ready."

She began to get from off of him, only to have him pull her back down.

"Is that what you think? That I am not ready for this? For us?" He said as he looked at her quizzically.

"Abbie, there is nothing I want more in this life than to make love to you." He said, as her eyes grew wild at his confession.

"But you deserve more than this. More than us on a couch jumping into this next step without proper reflection. Without proper romance."

"Crane…" She said, as he cut her off and kissed her lips.

"I want to woo you, Abigail. Court you. I want to make you feel every ounce of the adoration and respect I have for you so you will know it is genuine. And real."

She smiled softly and looked down, startled by the truth in his eyes.

"And if I am so lucky as to have you, all of you, I do not want to hold back. I want to give you every drop of me. And demand it back from you." He said, pausing as she looked up into his eyes.

"That is my wish, Leftenant."

She laughed softly, closing her eyes and resting her head on his.

"Jesus, Crane." She said softly. "You have to stop talking like that."

"Why?" He asked earnestly.

"Because it literally makes me want to disregard everything you just said and pull you back to my bedroom right now."

He smiled and kissed her again.

"Perhaps you should rise from off of me then… Because that is exactly what will happen if we stay in this position for much longer."

She smiled and got off of him as he rose to greet her at her feet.

"Are you hungry, Leftenant?" He asked, a sly smile on his face.

"Famished, actually." She said, thinking of the lack of food she had ingested throughout her busy day. "You thinking take-out?"

He nodded and went to get his cell phone to place the order in the kitchen.

She called out to him when he was almost out of view.

"Oh and Crane…." She said as she approached him, whispering in his ear gently.

"There is nothing I want more than to make love to you too."

She said, brushing by him as he closed his eyes and savored her words.

* * *

 ** _To be continued..._**


	17. Chapter 17

She awoke the next morning alone in her bed. Which was harder than it should've been considering prior to her finally admitting her true feelings for Crane, she hadn't yet allowed herself to think of him as anything more than just a partner. A fellow witness.

But now. Now, things were different. And it wasn't that she was nervous. Because she was… deathly nervous. But there was also a sense of excitement within her that she hadn't expected to be there. A sense of instability in his presence that wasn't there before.

It had started that morning when she walked out of her bedroom to see him standing by the stove, finishing her plate of hot eggs and bacon the morning after their makeout session on the couch.

"Leftenant", he said when he heard her approaching. "Just in time…"

She smiled at his continued usage of her nickname… Some habits would never change even though some _minor_ details in their relationship had.

"Should I be worried, Crane… last time you tried cooking me something to eat you nearly burned down the house."

He smiled modestly, motioning her to sit down at the table as he put her plate in front of her and poured a cup of coffee.

"No worries… I am beginning to understand how this machine works and even marvel at its efficiency." He said as he put her coffee in front of her and smiled, seemingly proud of himself.

"Go ahead and taste it", he said as he watched her nervously pick up her fork and take a bite of food.

She had to admit that Crane had definitely gotten better at the cooking thing since the last time he tried. She closed her eyes to savor it and opened them to find him gazing upon her and smiling.

"I'm glad you enjoy it, Leftenant", he said humbly, turning around and fixing himself a plate as well.

They sat for another fifteen minutes talking of anything and everything but what had transpired the previous night. And when her phone buzzed to come into the office a bit earlier than usual, she found herself in an awkward position of not knowing how to properly leave his presence.

"I guess I'll see you later, Crane." She said a bit sheepishly as she paused on her way out of the kitchen.

She watched as he approached her, his eyes never leaving hers. "I look forward to your return this evening, Leftenant."

His hand grasped her softly, placing a kiss upon her knuckles. And she felt her breath shallow as a chill ran thru her.

When she turned and walked to her car, Abbie wasn't sure if she was going to make it thru this courting thing. Not if Crane continued to do things like that to her all from one kiss to the hand…

…

Her work day had been filled with the buzz from Agent Reynolds departure and promotion. And also wondering who would fill his spot now that he was gone.

It had almost been 2pm when she looked up from her desk and noticed someone knocking on her door.

"Agent Mills…" the office receptionist said, entering with yellow roses in one hand and a bag from her favorite Thai restaurant in the other.

"A courier just arrived with these for you." She said, as she placed the items on Abbie's desk.

Abbie didn't need to look at the card to know who they were from. But she read it anyway…

 _If I had to die a thousand deaths to have met you, Grace Abigail Mills… I would._

 _Respectfully Yours, Ichabod Crane_

 _P.S. – Since I'm sure you haven't afforded yourself the luxury of breaking for lunch yet, I hope you enjoy…_

A huge grin on her face, she bent down taking a whiff of the flowers, and picking up her phone to send him a text.


	18. Chapter 18

The next two weeks had flown by for Abbie. Their relationship, although changed, still held the same playful banter, the same ease as before. But the differences, she knew were there. The added texts throughout the day. The concern over how well she ate and how many hours she had been working that weren't discussed before. And she noticed herself thinking of him more throughout her days. Wondering what he was doing, whom he was thinking of…

They hadn't kissed since "the couch event" as she called it. Instead, the soft touches increased, electrified with the awareness that more might be in store for the future.

There was one particular evening as they watched Netflix on the couch that he had grabbed her feet gently and laid them on his lap. Caressing and kneading the stresses of her work day and relaxing her to the point where she fell asleep.

She had felt him carrying her to her bedroom and laying her down gently on the bed. And when he had turned to leave, she stuck her hand out reflexively, willing him to stay.

He had denied her request. And in the moment, she had felt a bit of rejection. But she knew why he had done it. And she respected him for it. Knowing that even though they were enjoying the new nuances between them, neither one was yet ready for the next step.

Abbie hadn't even told Jenny. Although she knew Jenny had most likely picked up on it on her own. But her sister hadn't said anything. And neither did Abbie.

Crane had asked her one day if she had told anyone of their newly formed connection. To which Abbie had said she wouldn't know what to tell someone even if they asked. She had noticed the look of unease cross over his face at this revelation. But he hadn't remarked further, just simply dropping the subject as quickly as it had been brought up.

It was the next morning when Crane had asked her on their first official date. The location was a surprise, but he had asked her to prepare for a formal dinner, to which Abbie felt a certain restlessness. Crane knew surprises were not her thing. It was giving up control… and that was not something that comforted her.

But as she got dressed for the evening, wearing a new red dress she had bought during lunch that day, she realized she was excited. More so than she thought she would be.

And when she had gotten home from work at 5:30pm, he was nowhere to be found. Instead, leaving a note on the counter asking for her presence on the front porch promptly at 7pm.

When she had put the finishing touches on her attire, she stepped outside and was floored.

In her driveway was a Mercedes CLK320. A car she had told Crane, early on in their partnership, was her most favorite. It was silver, beaming at her from front headlights to rear tires.

And standing next to it was Crane, dressed in a new suit much like the one he wore the night of her FBI gala but a little more "Crane-esque". He wore an embroidered vest underneath which clung to his body in a way that caused Abbie to blush.

She couldn't contain the shock on her face as he walked over to her, extending his arm out to take her hand.

"You look beautiful, Leftenant." He said as he kissed her hand ever so softly and helped her travel down the stairs.

"Crane… ", she said, still trying to surmise words to express what she felt at the moment.

"While I can't adorn you with this vehicle for a permanent while, it is ours for the evening. If that suits you?"

She laughed stiffly and smiled up at him. "Ummm… yeah. It does. And I don't even want to know how you remembered or whose car this actually is. I don't care. As long as it's ours for tonight."

He smiled and opened the car door for her, laughing to himself.

"That it is."

…...

Crane's surprise ended up being a reservation at one of the most sought after five star restaurants outside of West Chester County. An establishment called Northmans.

When they had pulled up, Abbie almost had a hard time believing he was being serious. Never setting foot in a restaurant as fancy as this, she looked over at Crane in astonishment.

"Crane… are you for real right now? I've heard the wait for this place is like 2 months… Not to mention an entree being almost that much in salary."

He smiled gently, getting out of the car and tipping the valet as he walked over to her side to open the door.

She got out, still looking at him a bit amazed.

"You are worth it." He said, following her inside and getting seated at a table far from prying eyes located in the remote right corner of the restaurant.

As the time progressed, Abbie found herself becoming more and more relaxed, sipping on her red wine and allowing Crane to control the flow of the conversation. He was in an inquisitive mood that evening. Asking questions about her likes and dislikes. Inquiring about her first few years on the police force and how she had risen above her peers to earn the rank of Leftenant.

It wasn't until they had almost finished their entrée's that the mood suddenly turned a bit more serious.

"You said something to me the other day that I have not been able to cast from my mind…", he said softly as he watched her take a sip from her red wine.

He watched as she looked upon him quizzically, willing him to go on.

"You said you wouldn't know what to tell anyone of our new 'relationship'".

Abbie sighed, pursing her lips.

"I fear you do not yet know how far you are willing to take this…", he said softly. "Do you still possess doubts of your feelings towards me?"

She looked down at his hands, which were nervously playing with his fork, and looked back up at him.

"No." She said convincingly. "I just…", she said as her voice trailed off.

"What is it, Leftenant?"

"What is the 'end game', Crane?" She said abruptly, her eyes showing fear and frustration. "Are we supposed to just ride off into the sunset together at the end of these seven years? Happy and content and live normal lives? Because our lives are nothing but normal. And every day we walk on this Earth is a day a monster or witch or demon could take one or both of us out.

"So whatever this is that I feel, no matter how strong I feel it… I know it's temporary." She stopped abruptly, closing her eyes and lowering her head. "People like me don't get happily ever after, Crane."

Silence enveloped them for seconds. Soon, she felt his hands reach across the table, pulling hers gently towards him as he stroked them.

"I want to make my intentions clear." He said, as her tearful eyes raised to meet his.

"Since the day that you told me you had feelings for me, I have not stopped imagining what the future might hold.

"I do not wish to merely court you. Or date you, only to break apart when things get tough. You are my partner, Grace Abigail Mills. A soul who has been destined with mine for over two centuries. My fellow witness, my dearest friend."

He paused, squeezing her hand tightly.

"And one day, I hope to have the honor of you being my wife."


	19. Chapter 19

She heard the words come out of his mouth and found herself rising up from her chair, excusing herself to the bathroom abruptly.

Never in a million years did Abbie imagine this happening tonight. And yet here she was, in the bathroom stall trying to keep from hyperventilating from his admission.

She was embarrassed by her reaction. And couldn't bear to think what Crane was feeling at the current moment. But she also knew she needed time to process this. She had felt so comfortable with things the past few weeks. And now here, tonight, he tells her of plans in which she hadn't allowed herself to even consider a possibility.

She went back out to the sink, throwing cold water on her face and staring up into the mirror.

 _Get yourself together, Abbie._

She exited the restroom only to find their table empty, him waiting at the front lobby with the car keys in hand.

"I took your long absence from the table to mean you are ready to leave." He said somberly, as she stared into his rejected eyes. "Was I mistaken?"

"Crane… I'm sorry." She said as he cut her off.

"You needn't apologize, Leftenant. It is I who committed the folly this evening. Not you."

They drove back to the house in silence. Each partner muddled in their own thoughts and disappointments about the events of the evening.

It wasn't until they both were in the kitchen that Crane spoke again.

"There are moments where I feel adrift in this modern time. Nothing at all to remind me of the life I am used to." He said almost in a whisper. "I am sorry. For scaring you tonight with my rushed thoughts and hasty dreams."

He stopped speaking and looked over at her, his eyes warm. "It's just… Abbie when I am with you, I feel I am home."

He nodded towards her slightly, turning around to leave her in the kitchen with her thoughts.

…..

Two hours later and she still lay awake on her bed. Her mind on Crane and his words.

She closed her eyes and digested them slowly, replaying the hurt on his face as he told her of his intentions only to have her run away scared.

She silently cursed herself still for her reaction earlier. Here was this man, who had come into her life at exactly the point in which she needed him. Someone who had given her purpose. A reason for being.

A companion to walk this difficult path with…

A tear fell from her eye as she slowly got up out of bed, opening her door softly and making her way down the hall to his room.

She didn't hesitate when she got to his door. Instead, knocking softly as she opened it slowly.

She saw him laying down in the bed, his eyes confused as he watched her enter his room and make her way over to the side of his bed.

He sat up slowly, not quite sure why she was there and if she was okay. But looked into her glassy eyes and realized he already knew what she was asking… what she wanted.

He folded the covers down, inviting her into his bed and scooting over as she gently laid down and placed her head on one of his pillows.

Crane folded the covers back over her body and laid down on the opposite side, staring into her eyes and silently begging her to make him understand what she was feeling.

He heard her breathe in deeply as she whispered. "You are my home too, Crane."

She paused. "I couldn't let you go thru the night not knowing that."

He watched as she turned her body around and slowly backed herself closer to him. Her cotton pajamas pressing up against his chest.

His body froze momentarily as he felt her relax into him. And taking her lead, he wrapped his left arm around her as she cradled against him tighter, his nose breathing in the sweet smell of her hair.

Crane had never done this. Never spent the night with a woman who was not his wife in this manner.

But nothing had ever felt more perfect. More right.

They laid like that for what seemed like eternity, their breaths moving more in harmony with each passing minute.

And when he awakened before dawn the next morning, his body still molded to hers, he smiled and chuckled softly to himself. Having had one of the best nights of sleep since his arrival in Sleepy Hollow almost three years ago.

She stirred and moved underneath of him, turning around to face him in the darkness.

"Good Morning, Leftenant", he said softly as a faint smile appeared on her face.

"Good Morning", she said in a whisper. "Although it still looks like we have a few more minutes before dawn."

He smiled softly, an idea popping into his head.

"Would you honor my request of getting dressed hastily and accompanying me somewhere?"

She looked at him curiously as she tried to imagine just where Crane planned on taking her at 5:30am in the morning. But she obliged, nodding her head slightly as they both, a bit nervously, got out of bed and got dressed.

Crane had insisted on driving the Mercedes since he had to give it back later that morning. And she silently thanked him, since their previous evening's adventure in it had ended quicker than expected.

It was only about 10 minutes after they left the house that Abbie recognized where he was taking her. They had entered West Chester State Park, driving up Foot Mountain Hill to a trail Abbie had never been to before. He parked the car, pausing to look at her before he asked if she would allow him one more request and follow him for a brief walk in the woods. They walked in the dark, Crane clearing out the path in front of her thru brush and over a small creek until suddenly they came upon a clear landing on the edge of a hill.

Upon first sight, Abbie felt her breath catch in her throat. Below them was all of Sleepy Hollow… The pre-dawn darkness still upon them as the stars prepared to bid adieu to the morning sun. She looked over at him as he smiled at her reaction, walking over to sit on one of the two large rocks near the cliff's edge.

"I found this place one night a couple months ago. I drove up here to collect my thoughts, the night after you had gotten shot, and walked upon it accidentally."

He looked over at her as she came to sit beside him, still listening intently while admiring the view in front of them.

"I told myself that evening that if you were to recover, there would not be one day where I took your friendship for granted." He said as he paused. "I hope I have lived up to that promise since. And will continue to do so each day that I breathe."

Abbie felt a tear fall from her eyes, the emotions of this moment too much to hold inside. Taking in the sights before her, the sun just starting to peak from the horizon as the lights from Sleepy Hollow residents gave notice of the day beginning anew.

She reached over and grasped his hand softly, turning to face him as he looked upon her tear riddled eyes.

She parted her lips softly, still characteristically guarded, but compelling herself to truly open up to the man sitting beside her.

"I love you." She said softly, as his eyes stared into hers, allowing her words to fully penetrate his soul.

She did not cower from his gaze. "I am in love with you, Ichabod Crane."

He swallowed the lump in his throat as he gazed at her, reaching out cautiously to stroke her cheek. His touch was hesitant, almost as if he didn't believe her to be real. "To the depths of my soul, you can not imagine how long I have wished to hear those words from your lips."

He leaned in, kissing her slowly, purposely. And Abbie felt, in this moment, how right this was. With him.

When he pulled away, she smiled, opening her eyes to gaze upon him once more. "I've missed your kiss…" She said as she drew a finger, grazing over his mouth.

"And I yours, Leftenant." He said as he leaned in, taking her lips within his once again. She smiled against his kiss, running her fingers thru his hair. A few moments later she felt him pull back.

"Do my previous sentiments still frighten you?" He said softly, continuing to brush her cheek with his thumb.

She knew what he was referring to. His thoughts on love, courtship, marriage still had not changed. And she knew this. Expected it. He came from a different time than herself. And to him, professing their love… their commitment to one another was a precursor to a certain future.

"No…." she said hesitantly. "Well, yes." She chuckled.

He smiled. "We can take things as slow as you want them, Leftenant. I am a captive to your wishes."

She smiled softly as her eyes grew dark. "What if I don't want to go slow?"

She saw the surprise in his eyes as he looked across from her. His reaction letting her know he understood the full meaning of her question without needing a declaration.

He dropped his hand slowly, backing his face away from hers. "You seem to think at times that because I come from another day and age that I am not still yet a red blooded man. You can not say these things to me so flippantly, Leftenant, and expect an honorable reaction."

She cocked her head to the side, still staring into him as he digested her statement. Her eyes drifted down, suddenly weary of her suggestion being something he was not ready for. When she looked back up at him, his face had grown more serious.

"You have put thought into this?" He asked. "Of what it will mean for us?"

She nodded slightly, swallowing the lump in her throat, as they sat on the rocks inches apart. The air between them charged.

"I don't want to rush you… I know it has been some time since…" She stopped suddenly. But she knew he had already guessed where her next train of thought was going. It had been almost a year since Katrina had died. And she wasn't sure if he was truly ready to be with another woman in the same way.

He furrowed his brow as he looked at her, shaking his head softly. "It has been centuries…" He said almost in a whisper, as her face scrunched up in disbelief.

He hadn't slept with Katrina.

All this time Abbie had assumed when they were living in Corbin's cabin they had consummated their marriage in this current century. But they hadn't…

She looked at him, shock and surprise on her face. Questions overflowing from her thoughts as his face remained still, his eyes never leaving hers.

He opened his mouth in hesitation. Closing it again as fear overtook his desire for complete honesty. But he wanted to be. Needed to be…

"I believe, Leftenant…" he said delicately. "That somewhere deep down… I was waiting for you."

Silence clung to his words after they were long gone. And Abbie felt herself closing her eyes and dropping her head at the enormity of what was in front of her. And when she opened her eyes again, his were still staring into her soul.

"And I do not wish to wait any longer." He said firmly. No doubt in his voice.

She watched as he rose up onto his feet. Reaching out for her hand as he led her back through the woods into the car.

Headed home.


	20. Chapter 20

The car ride had been in silence. And Abbie could not shake her nerves as they pulled closer and closer to the house.

They were about to cross that next step in their relationship.

And just the thought of it, made her shiver with a hunger she had only recently discovered was there all along. She stole a glance at him as he pulled into the driveway and looked back quickly, so as not to give herself away. If he was nervous… he didn't show it.

It had begun to pour rain and she silently groaned as he parked the car and looked over at her slightly when he realized there was not an umbrella in this particular car.

"I am sorry, Leftenant. I did not check the weather reports before departing this morning and have since forgot an umbrella. Do you wish to use my jacket to head into the house?"

She laughed slightly. "I won't melt, Crane. I'm fine."

He nodded and they both ran out of the car up to the front porch as the rain seemed to get heavier with each fleeting step.

It wasn't until they both got into the kitchen that they looked at each other's appearance.

"Maybe I should've taken you up on that coat offer", she said as she ran her hands through her wet hair and looked down at her soaked clothes.

He looked down at her, his mind reeling. "Hold there for a second", he said as he disappeared for a brief moment, arriving back a few seconds later with a clean towel.

She went to grab it from his hands but was surprised when he walked around behind her. She felt his hands gently remove the wet hair from her face as he moved the towel to her head, wiping the excess water from her hair. Her eyes lowered involuntarily as she allowed herself to give in to his touch as he softly and gently ran thru every strand.

When she opened her eyes, he was standing in front of her. His hands taking the towel and running it gently across her face, wiping the remaining drops of rain from her cheeks, nose and mouth.

"Good as new." He said as he finished, still not moving from his close proximity.

"Except for the fact that we're still drenched", she said softly as she shivered.

He reached down, taking her hand and leading her into the living room. Admittedly, Crane had never been a fan of Abbie's gas fireplace. He had criticized it for days when she told him all it took to get a fire started was the flip of a switch.

But now, in this moment, he silently thanked the stars for such an invention as he reached over and turned the fireplace on. He grinned as instant heat emitted from the wall as he turned around and looked upon her.

She smirked. "Don't ever complain again, Crane."

He laughed softly. "Noted."

They stood in silence for seconds before she spoke again.

"I should probably get out of these wet clothes."

Crane stood motionless, nodding gently and allowing himself to fully look upon her. Abbie watched as his eyes traveled from hers, slowly making their way down her petite frame. His eyes transfixed on her sheer white t-shirt underneath her sweater, which clung to her chest from the rain.

"You should." He said softly as his eyes came back to meet hers. And the instant they did, she saw it there.

Desire.

She released the breath she wasn't aware she was holding as he walked slowly over to her, standing only inches in front of her body. She could smell his scent. That unique blend of manhood and musk that lingered in her senses far longer than she would ever admit.

His fingers rose to her collar, slowly removing her black cardigan and letting it fall to the floor.

He hesitated briefly. His hands falling to his waist as he watched her breathing become labored.

"Do you wish me to stop?" He whispered.

Her lips parted as she raised her eyes to meet his. "No."

Crane leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, breaking apart to look into her eyes.

"I've dreamt of this moment for so very long…" he said as he went down on one knee, unlacing her boots and helping her remove them.

His hands traced the sides of her body as he rose back to his feet. "Are you aware of that, Abbie?" He said as he ran his fingers along her arms. "How long you've been haunting my dreams…"

Abbie felt herself shiver as he leaned down to kiss her neck. His hands brushing over the front of her shirt in the faintest caress.

A soft moan escaped from her mouth as her body was unable to hide his effect on her. "Tell me." She said as his hands played with the hem of her shirt, making their way underneath.

"I've dreamt…" he said in between kisses to her collarbone. "Of the softness of your skin…" he said as his fingers traced over her lace bra. "The vision of you unclothed before me…"

Abbie shuddered as he slowly pulled her shirt over her head, stepping back as he ran his fingers along her bra. She saw his eyes dip lower, as his hands worked to remove her jeans.

She stood in front of him in her bra and panties as his eyes wandered over her form. His face was stoic as he memorized every inch and crevice.

When his eyes finally reached hers again, his voice cracked as he spoke.

"You are beautiful."

She reached over, grabbing his shirt and removing it from his body. Her eyes raking over his bare chest.

She had never seen Crane like this. She was turned on.

"I've imagined how your body would feel in my hands…" he said as he ran his hands along the middle of her chest and in between her breasts. "My mouth…" He said as he kissed her again on the lips.

Abbie ran her hands along his chest as his hands reached behind her back, unclasping her bra. She felt it fall gently from her chest as she suddenly felt the sensation of his bare hands cupping her breasts, running his fingers over her peaked nipples.

Their kiss became urgent from desire and was suddenly broken off by him traveling lower down her frame and taking her right nipple in his mouth. Sucking relentlessly as his hand played with the other breast.

Abbie squirmed in his hold and felt herself holding onto the top of his head for support of her weakened knees.

When he moved his attention to her left breast, she moaned in approval. "Oh God…" she said as she felt his tongue bite down tenderly.

If Abbie had any questions on what kind of lover Ichabod Crane was, she knew now. And admittedly, she had been wrong in her guesses. The proper and well-mannered man she was used to, was replaced with one full of lust and hunger.

Fire.

When she felt she could barely take any more she felt him pull away, kissing down lower towards her navel.

She looked down at him and saw him meet her eyes.

"Would you care to know what I've dreamt and wondered of the most, Leftenant?" He said as his hands toyed at the edges of her panties pulling them down slowly.

Her breath became jagged as she watched him kiss lower on her body.

"How pleasing you would taste…" he said as her panties dropped to her knees and she felt him run his tongue between her core.

Abbie gasped in shock as he nudged her legs apart, sucking and licking on her clit as if it was his last meal.

She was rendered helpless. And lost herself in the moment as his right hand traveled back up to her breast, caressing her nipple as his tongue devoured her.

She felt herself coming undone and involuntarily screamed in ecstasy. "Oh God… Crane…" she said as she rode the wave of what had to have been her most intense orgasm ever, grasping his head for support.

It felt like minutes later when she opened her eyes, her breaths evening out from the panting mere seconds ago. She looked down at him, still on his knees, looking back at her.

His eyes were soft, but the hunger from them had not dissipated. It was stronger.

When he rose, she threw her arms around him, kissing him tenderly and tasting her essence on his lips.

She felt him bend down gently, scooping her legs from underneath her as he carried her to the hallway.

When he hesitated to which bedroom to enter, she broke the kiss momentarily.

"My bedroom." She said, more firm than she intended, as he kicked through the cracked door and placed her gently down on the bed.

She lay naked before him and realized he still had on clothes. And she quickly worked to remedy that as she scooted to the edge of the bed, working at his pants.

It was only when he moved to help her that they became undone and she pulled them down his legs along with his underwear.

When she looked back up, his erection was staring her at eye level. She reached her hands up to him, gently stroking his manhood between her fingers as she heard him moan in consent.

She had often imagined what Crane would look like, feel like. And in this moment, she was not disappointed.

She looked up at him as her hands gently stroked his tip. His eyes filled with a plea only she could cure. And when she moved her mouth closer to him, she watched as he inhaled in anticipation of what she about to do.

She lowered her mouth onto him, swirling her tongue around his penis in a gesture that seemed to excite him to a level she hadn't seen yet tonight.

He groaned loudly. "Dear God, Abigail…", he said as she stroked and licked him. It was when she put the entire length of him inside her mouth that she felt him grunt and hastily try to pull her head away.

She smiled and released him from her mouth. "Do you wish me to stop?"

She said coyly, reciting his line from earlier that evening.

"No." He said panting. "Yes."

He climbed onto the bed, aggressively pushing her back until he was laying directly over top of her.

And both of them stopped. Aware that this final step… was here. Mere seconds away.

She broke the silence.

"I need to feel you inside of me." She said, taking his dick in her hands and guiding it between the folds of her vagina.

He eased in gently, allowing himself to savor inch by inch. And when he was as deep as he could go, he felt a tremble unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

Abbie felt it too. Looking up at him and feeling herself full and complete as he leaned in to kiss her lips.

He slowly began to move in and out and she moaned against his kiss, unable and unwilling to contain the way he was making her feel.

When his thrusts became deeper, she pulled away from his lips. Looking into his eyes as he plunged himself harder and harder inside of her.

She heard the headboard begin to pound against the wall and lifted her legs, pulling him in even deeper.

"Abbie… " he shouted, his eyes staring intensely into hers as he fucked her harder and harder with each thrust. "Dear God… Abbie."

And him calling out her name in this state of frenzy, sent her over the edge. She screamed out his name and felt him release himself inside of her as she trembled from head to toe.

He laid himself on top of her, his lips grazing the side of her neck as he caught his breath. And she felt herself wrapping her arms around him tightly, holding on for dear life to her fellow Witness. And now lover.

He sighed deeply and rolled himself onto her side, sliding out of her and eliciting a groan from her mouth that she couldn't conceal.

He stared at her, there in the dim light of the rainy day. His eyes not revealing exactly what lay behind them.

"I'm not quite sure how to put into words what I feel at this precise moment."

Her face was serious. "Me either." She whispered.

He leaned over to kiss her on the lips gently.

"You are the love of my life, Grace Abigail Mills." He said softly. "I fear that I am eternally yours."

She shook her head softly. "Please don't have fear…" she said as she kissed him again tenderly. Once on his forehead, as he closed his eyes to revel in her touch. Another on his bridge of his nose. And when he opened his eyes, she kissed him tenderly on his lips.

"I, too, am eternally yours, Crane."

* * *

 _ **I just want to thank everyone who has left comments on this story of mine! It was my 1st Sleepy Hollow fic and I've really enjoyed writing it!**_

 _ **Hopefully I'll be starting another very soon :-)**_


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